


Shadow Rabbits

by Dorksidefiker



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-08
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2017-12-04 16:17:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 25,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/712655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dorksidefiker/pseuds/Dorksidefiker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack's been keeping a secret from the world, but in the wake of Pitch's defeat, it's time he let Bunnymund in on it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> And the [Kink Meme](http://rotg-kink.dreamwidth.org/2389.html?thread=3900501#cmt3900501) strikes again!
> 
> I know I should be giving priority to stuff from rounds 1 and 2 (and I am!), but this was a plot bunny I HAD to write.

It never would have occurred to Jack Frost if he hadn't gone back with Bunnymund to help clean up the Warren. He'd never once made the connection between his best loved secret and the grumpy Easter Bunny until that moment, though he probably should have. Looking at the Warren, looking at _Bunny_ while he cleaned the Warren, listening to him _talk_ while he cleaned, it was all so very clear.

He might have had believers, and the other Guardians, but in his own way Bunnymund was every bit as alone as Jack had been. When he talked, it was mostly to himself; a few times, he looked genuinely surprised that Jack answered him, like he'd forgotten that he wasn't alone in the Warren. Every now and again, Bunnymund would stop and look at something with such great _sadness_ ; he'd run a paw over a carving, or pull up the moss that overgrew the entrance to a series of rooms, and it was like he wasn't seeing what was _there_ , but instead saw some distant memory.

"This place is kinda big for just you and the eggs," Jack noted, trying to sound casual. His mind was hard at work, turning over past interactions and picking apart old conversations, piecing together all the little clues.

Bunnymund bent to the task of cleaning up shattered eggs with renewed vigor, and in utter silence. Jack waited. He was used to long silences, and could out wait the best of them.

"Didn't build it just for me," Bunnymund finally, reluctantly, said. "Thought my people would be joining me, wanted to give them a good home when they got here."

"What happened?"

More silence, angry this time.

"Pitch."

Jack perched on top of one of Bunnymund's sentinels, thinking of dark creatures that hissed and gibbered and howled for blood. They'd hunted him, years ago, until Jack had turned the tables. They'd never seen the snowballs coming.

To be fair, Jack hadn't _expected_ the reaction he'd gotten. He'd been just as surprised as the creatures when they'd changed, and as grateful to them as they were to him. They could _see_ Jack, and touch him, and having them had probably kept him from going as crazy as Pitch. He'd kept them secret for years, but the oldest of the lot had insisted that it really was a good idea. They had no desire to attract Pitch Black's attention ever again.

But Pitch was gone.

Maybe it was time for them to come back into the world.

"There's something you need to see."


	2. Chapter 2

It didn't look like much from the outside, but that was the point. It was _supposed_ to look like a hole in the frozen ground, unwelcoming and inhospitable. Nothing of any interest could possibly be down there.

"This had better be good, Frostbite," Bunnymund snapped, shuddering in the Artic chill.

Jack blinked innocently, fighting to keep a straight face and not exactly winning. "What's the matter, Bunny? Don't you trust me?" He tapped the edge of the hole twice with his staff. "Don't answer that." He tapped his staff again, five times, then grabbed Bunnymund by the arm and jumped down into the hole, dragging him along and laughing while the Easter Bunny screamed.

The icy tunnel twisted and turned as they slid along at breakneck speeds, until ice gave way to hard packed earth and they were dumped out onto a pile of old blankets.

Bunnymund shot to his feet. "You bloody show pony, you could've killed-" The rest died in his throat as he took in his surroundings. It wasn't nearly so large nor so well maintained as his Warren, but this dank little place beneath the ice was an actual Pooka burrow.

Someone had set up crude fortifications around the entrance, clearly meant to slow down any invaders, and poking out from over the top where a pair of cream colored ears.

"Hyacinth," Jack said with obvious fondness. "Which means Fern should be getting ready with the boiling oil in case we're secretly evil..."

"I can't get the fire going!"

"Shhh!"

Bunnymund held absolutely still as the little ears disappeared from view, nose twitching as he tried to sort out every scent.

Pookas. A bunch of them, all living far too close together to be really comfortable.

He spared a glance at Jack, who leaned casually against his staff and grinned. "Give 'em a minute. They have to do this, or Rue'll turn 'em into rugs." He snorted. "You'll like Rue. She doesn't have a sense of humor either."

There was whispering going on behind the fortifications, mostly along the lines of 'It's your turn,' and 'Nuh-uh, I did it last time.' Finally, a kit was shoved over the top with a surprised squeak, landing hard enough to make Bunnymund wince. He was a sweet looking little thing, mostly brown in coloring and with a patch of white on his chin. He was also holding a wicked looking pike, which he pointed straight at Bunnymund.

"Hey Sage." Jack raised his hand in a little wave, flicking a snowflake at the kit's nose. Sage giggled softly, but the spear remained right where it was.

"Did you rescue another of us, Jack?"

Bunnymund gave Jack a searching look, utterly lost. "Rescue?"

"I'll explain thing in a minute. Sage, go get everyone, I've got one hell of a story for you all."


	3. Chapter 3

From the moment Jack had lead him past the fortifications to when they stopped in the largest room of the burrow, Bunnymund counted nearly two dozen kits, ranging from just old enough to walk to nearly adult. Most of them had fur mottled with black in patterns he didn't recognize, and there seemed to be no rhyme of reason to it. They all greeted Jack with clear familiarity, but they watched Bunnymund like they expected him to do something awful at any moment, and didn't come near. Jack treated it as normal, greeting them by name.

"How long have they _been_ here?" Bunnymund whispered, watching as one kit disappeared down a tunnel and came back out half dragging another few little ones.

Jack stared up at the ceiling, mouth moving slowly as he counted something off on his hands. "Sixty... maybe seventy years? Give or take." He grabbed a stool and dragged it to the middle of the room so he had a place to perch.

Something shuffled slowly, drawing Bunnymund's attention. A hunched figure concealed entirely by a pale green cloak moved at the edge of the pack, settling into a shadowed nook. The voice that came from within the cloak was deep and musical. "Jack."

"Basil." Jack twisted around on the stool, counting the kits. "Where are Rue and Rowan?"

Basil laughed, and a few of the kits rolled their eyes at Jack's obvious stupidity. "You brought a strange Buck into our warren. Did you really expect to see those two until Rue's sure he's not secretly Pitch?"

"They're gonna miss story time!" Jack whined. There was a chorus of mocking 'awwwww's from the kits, who clearly enjoyed Jack's antics as they gathered around. Bunnymund noticed a few more dressed in the same cloaks as Basil lingering about the edges. He thought he caught a flash of golden eyes beneath one hood, and a face that was just _wrong_ from another.

"Alright, alright, huddle up." Jack settled on the stood, resting his staff across his lap. "Once upon a time, there was a wonderful, brilliant, _perfect_ Winter Spirit named Jack Frost-"

The kits groaned theatrically, and someone threw a carrot end at Jack.

"-who while minding his own business was one day was attacked by nasty, icky shadow creatures-"

"We already know this story!" a little doe near the front whined, her ears flattening against her skull.

"But _he_ doesn't, Rosemary." Jack waved is staff at Bunnymund, who was still counting kits. Two dozen had turned into three dozen when Jack began to speak. No adult bucks or does, just kits. A knot of dread formed in the pit of Bunnymund's stomach as Jack continued the story. "So, the wise and brave Jack was attacked by the shadow creatures, who thought that because he was one and they were many that he would be easy prey. But Jack was too quick and waaaaay too smart, and he thought 'You know, maybe if these guys knew how to have some fun, they'd stop trying to eat me!' So Jack took a handful of his magic and threw it right into the face of the biggest, nastiest, smelliest shadow creature!"

Jack leaned forward as a few of the braver kits scooted closer, grinning widely. "And you know what happened then?" The kits nodded, clearly enthralled. "The shadow creature turned into a giant rabbit!"

"And then Rue punched you in the face." Basil called out from his shadowy nook. 

Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, but _then_ she was grateful, because she was secretly a beautiful princess under a curse-"

"No she wasn't!"

"Who's telling this story, me or you?" Jack mock-scowled at his audience. " _Anyway_ , the beautiful rabbit princess begged Jack Frost to save her people-"

"And by begged," Basil interjected, "you mean she threatened to set you on fire."

"-who had been placed under a terrible curse by the Nightmare King, who had turned them into Fearlings. Jack, being brave, daring, wonderful, and humble, freed the cursed rabbit people, who were sooooo grateful-"

"That they didn't let Rue set him on fire," Basil laughed.

Jack stuck his tongue out at Basil. "Yeah yeah. Now, the rabbit people knew that if the Nightmare King ever found out that wonderful Jack had broken their curse, he'd come after them again. So Jack helped them hide somewhere where no one would _ever_ look for them, and they've been safe and sound every since. Huzzah!"

"Huzzah!" the kits echoed.

"I'm hungry," Sage whined.

"But Jack's story isn't over yet!" The kits groaned, and Jack looked crestfallen for a moment before rallying again. "Many years later, the Guardians came to Jack, _begging_ him to help them stop the wicked Nightmare King."

"Oi!"

"Did they threaten to set you on fire too?" Basil asked innocently.

"I'm gonna set _you_ on fire if you don't stop interrupting me. Now, the Nightmare King was a great and terrible foe, and it took everything Jack and the Guardians had to finally put an end to him and someday I'll tell you all the whole story -- Basil, stop encouraging Sage to eat my toes they do _not_ taste like watercress -- but after showing the Nightmare King who was _really_ awesome, Jack Frost realized that it was finally time for the rabbit people to come back into the world! Huzzah!"

There were no answering 'huzzahs' that time.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and coughed softly. "Right. Anyway, I thought we should start small, by introducing you to someone I'm sure you all are _dying_ to meet-" He gestured towards Bunnymund with a wide grin. "Ladies, gentlemen... Basil... meet the Easter Bunny-"

"Aster."

A doe detached herself from the deeper shadows of the burrow, glaring at Bunnymund with flinty blue eyes. Her black fur rippled as she stalked closer. Jack jumped off his stool, spreading his arms. "And here's our beautiful rabbit princess now! Come to dazzle our guest with your wonderful personality, Rue?"


	4. Chapter 4

As names went, 'Rue' wasn't a particularly unusual one for Pookas. Over the course of his life, Bunnymund had known well over a dozen, bucks and does alike. But _none_ of them that he could recall fit the description of female, young, and black furred. Still, the voice and the face were familiar, and the way she glared made it clear that _she_ knew _him_. Equally clear was that she wasn't the least bit happy to see him.

The kits edged away slowly while Basil lurched to the fore, clutching his cloak tightly around him. Jack shifted his weight and his grip on his staff, stepping between Bunnymund and Rue. "You never told me you knew the Easter Bunny, princess."

Rue's lip pulled back in a sneer. "When I knew him, he wasn't the Easter Bunny," she told him, the fur along her shoulders standing on end. "And when he knew me, I was still a ginger."

That was when it clicked for Bunnymund. "Saffron's oldest. You used to play with my sisters..." he murmured. Unconsciously, he found himself checking amongst the kits for more familiar faces. "You were shorter then, too."

Rue thumped her foot twice, drawing the attention of the kits. "I _know_ you bludgers got things you should be doing. _Hyacinth, Sage, Fern, back to the gates on the double!_ I want to see that supply report before the hour's up, Bella! You can let Jack bore you all to death later, right now you _work_!"

The kits disappeared, rocketing off to the far corners of the burrow until it was only Jack, Bunnymund, Rue, and the looming Basil.

"You didn't have to send them away," Jack protested.

"This isn't a discussion I wanna have in front of the ankle biters. They aren't here," Rue added snappishly, "so you can stop looking." She shook herself, ears flattening against her skull. "What do you think you're doing bringing _him_ here, Frost?"

"I _thought_ I was helping you guys reconnect with one of your fellow long lost Pookas," Jack drawled, clearly unimpressed by the doe's growing rage. "I _thought_ you'd be happy to know there are more of you out there. I forgot that you hate all things happy and fun."

"I have the safety of the warren to consider, you miserable little show pony!"

Basil hunkered down behind Rue; it was impossible to tell for certain with the cloak, but Bunnymund suspected that the buck was easily as big as North. "Ease off. You know Jack would never do anything to put us in danger."

"How am _I_ a danger?" Bunnymund demanded, pushing past Jack. "Strewth, Rue Kohane, you know me! I used to watch you for your mum!" He bit back a _What happened to you,_ knowing that even if he did get an answer, he wasn't going to like it. "You were friends with my sisters."

"That was a long time ago." Rue refused to move, or show any sign that she was intimidated by Bunnymund's size or his obvious anger. Basil hissed softly, an entirely un-Pooka-like sound that made Bunnymund's hair stand on end. "The fewer people who know about us, the less danger we're in. Leave us in peace, _Easter Bunny_. I'm sure you have other things to do than bother us."

Something small and red rocketed through the burrow with a joyous cry, wrapping itself around Jack while chanting the winter spirit's name. The blur settled itself into a ginger kit clinging to the front of Jack's hoodie and ignoring Rue's cry of "Rowan!" as he proceeded to babble about how much he'd missed Jack, and how Jack _never_ came to play anymore. Then Rowan caught sight of Bunnymund. With another shriek, he launched himself at the Easter Bunny, latching on with all his might.

"You're here you're back Aster Aster I missed you did you miss me where have you _been? ___"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A million thank yous to each and every person who has kudos'd, commented, bookmarked, and subscribed to this story (and there are a FRIGHTENING number of you).
> 
> For those who might be interested, I'd put together a playlist: [Do Deformed Rabbit, It's My Favorite](http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/Do+Deformed+Rabbit+It+s+My+Favorite/84012314). Also, I can occasionally be found on [Tumblr](http://dorksidefiker.tumblr.com/) yammering on about what I'm writing at the moment.
> 
> In other news, I'm looking for names to bestow upon the thirty-odd Pookas that make up this little troop. Plant-related suggestions (especially masculine names) would be especially welcome.

Rowan clung to Bunnymund with the kind of tenacity that would have done a barnacle proud, gazing up at him with undisgused admiration. Bunnymund raised a paw, brushing it over the kit's clan markings, dark grey against red; for centuries, the only time he'd seen them had been when he caught his own reflection.

Rue looked like she was going to spit nails, but she was gentle as she took her brother by the scruff of his neck. Rowan reluctantly let go, tiny legs curling up to his chest as his sister held him up so they were eye to eye. The rage drained away, and she took a deep breath before she spoke. "What did I tell you to do?"

"Wait in the panic room," Rowan whispered, "until we know it's not a trick by Pitch to sneak in and make us all fearlings again."

"And what have you done?"

Rowan looked thoughtfully at the ground, then at Jack, before settling once more on Rue. "I came out when Bella told me that Jack had brought a new Pooka and he _wasn't_ a fearling-" His words started to pick up speed as his expression brightened. "-and it's Aster!" He squirmed until Rue released him, then immediately latched on to Jack again, hugging him tightly. "You found Aster and brought him back to us!" He started hopping in place, too excited to keep still a moment longer. "We should have a party!"

Bunnymund wasn't _entirely_ sure, but he thought he heard Basil chuckle despite the rather ominous tick Rue was developing.

"You'll stay, won't you Aster?" Rowan asked, turning large blue eyes on Bunnymund. He honestly wanted to pick the kit up and cling to him; here was something he'd given up all hope of ever seeing again, right in front of him and so _happy_ to have him there.

"Only for a little bit. Got some matters to discuss with the Elders." He placed special emphasis on the last word, watching Rue and Basil for confirmation of what he suspected. It was impossible to read the buck's face through the shadows made by his hood, but Rue looked grimly triumphant. Barely more than a kit herself, and an Elder of a warren.

"Just you lot, then?" he couldn't resist asking.

There was something truly awful about the way Rue said, "Pitch likes 'em young. Rowan, you go tell Bella we need a feast befitting our... illustrious guest." 

"How come you never throw _me_ a feast?" Jack demanded with a pout almost as good as Rowan's.

"Because," Basil explained, ever helpful, "if we feed you, we'll never be rid of you."

Rowan dashed away, squealing his delight and utterly unaware of the tension returning to the four he left behind. "Suppose I can't be rid of you now that I've promised him. Little bastard." Rue watched her brother go. 

Something about the smirk Jack directed at the doe told Bunnymund that Rowan still had his sister wrapped firmly around his fingers. "So nice to be welcome."

" _He_ never stopped believing you'd come back." Rue turned, marching away with her paws curled into fists. "He's your problem now, Basil, just keep him out of my way. Clearly, I need to go over our security protocols again."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A million thank yous and well wishes to everyone who suggested names! You've been a tremendous help, and as a reward, I'm getting this chapter of Shadow Rabbits up a bit sooner than originally planned.
> 
> Also, I've started tagging my Shadow Rabbits related posts on Tumblr with (gasp, shock) "Shadow Rabbits).

Jack drifted through the burrow, pointing out interesting things to Bunnymund (like how one time Sorrel got 'accidentally' iced to _that_ wall for a day because he ate the last of the clover) while Basil shadowed them. Sometimes he caught the other Pookas watching them, but they kept their distance; Rue had made her stance clear, and none of them would cross her. Rowan and Basil would bring her around eventually, but until then Bunnymund would be observed only from a safe distance.

Finally, Jack couldn't help but ask the question that had been gnawing at him.

"Man, what did you _do_?"

Bunnymund looked like someone had punched him in the gut. "I don't know. I haven't seen Rue since she was a girl. I thought she -- I thought Pitch killed them all." He looked around, apparently lost in his own thoughts. "I thought I was alone." He brushed a paw across one of the crude earthen walls. "My people are _alive_ again. Surviving."

"We do okay," Basil interjected. "We owe it all to Jack. If it weren't for him, we'd have never made it this long... hell, we'd all still be Fearlings."

Jack preened, executing a sketchy bow. "I live to serve." He ambled onward, trying not to notice the way Bunny was looking at him, like he'd hung the moon or something. It was like the moment Jack had realized Jamie could see him; the euphoria would fade in time.

One of the girls came scurrying out of a side tunnel, waving a grubby scrap of paper when she caught sight of Jack. Inwardly, he groaned. It wasn't that he didn't _like_ Bella, but sometimes it was like she thought of Jack as her personal errand boy. "Jack, thank the stars!" She shot a glance at Bunnymund, slowing but not stopping, which meant that whatever it was, she thought it was important enough to ignore Rue's unofficial edict against the Easter Bunny. Bunnymund, for his part, was studying her with the same intensity he'd bestowed on the other Pookas. While most of her fur was pale brown and cream, there was a wide black patch that spread out from around her right eye and covered the top of her head and ears. That same eye was pale gold, a far cry from the chocolatey brown left. "Can I borrow you for a moment?"

"How can I say no to you, Belladonna?" Jack pulled the paper from her paw. "This is-"

It was a list of foodstuffs, and way more than Bella usually sent him out for. She drew him further away from Bunnymund, mouth close to Jack's ear as she explained, "We lost half our stores when Wee Elm fell back to the dark, and this years crops have been... lackluster."

Jack nodded slightly, then draped an arm around the girl and spun, pulling her with him. "Bella, have you met Bunny yet?"

"I haven't yet had the pleasure," she mumbled, extending a paw.

Bunnymund -- as big a ham as anyone, whatever he might say -- took the paw in his own and actually _bowed_ over it. "E. Aster Bunnymund, at your service."

Bella giggled, clearly pleased with the attention, and there was something about the way the hood of Basil's cloak moved that left Jack sure the other Pooka was rolling his eyes. "Belladonna -- yes really -- Rosemund."

And there went the batting of the eyelashes. Jack reminded himself again that he _did_ like Bella, even if there were times when she was _really irritating_. He looked over the list again, mentally noting what he could most easily filch and bring back. This... was gonna take some work. It'd been years since they'd needed so many supplies brought in.

Bunnymund released the girl, who stammered an excuse about needing to get back to the kitchen -- there was a feast to prepare, after all -- and sidled up beside Jack to look at the list. His face went blank, mouth compressed into a hard line. "I can get most of this from my warren."

"And then we can watch Rue explode in a fiery ball of rage," Basil reminded them. "Tread carefully here, Mr. Bunnymund. She is our Elder."

But Bunnymund was insistent. "You've got growing kits, and I produce more than I actually _need_."

"He's got loads of space, too," Jack added helpfully, planting the seeds of his plan in the fertile ground of Basil's mind. " _And_ his warren does that day and night cycle thing I remember you telling me about when you were first getting settled here."

Whatever Rue might think of Bunny personally, she would _always_ act in the best interest of her people. She just needed someone to give her a shove in the right direction... and if there was anything Basil was good at, it was giving Rue just such a shove. They'd have to get Rowan on board, but that wouldn't be hard. "Really? None of us could manage the trick -- we've been making do with grow lights and a generator."

"Mind if I take a look?" Bunnymund asked. Basil took the lead, limping along towards the garden as he explained their set up, with Jack trailing behind, grinning to himself. Bunny looked like he was already planning how to move the whole community into the Warren, which suited Jack just fine.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And that was when Narcissus threatened to drown himself if I didn't get a new shirt," Jack concluded, draping an arm around the Pooka in question. He was giving Jack's hoodie a horrified look as it came in contact with his long, slightly shaggy fur.

"You can't just wear things until they fall off!"

"Sure I can! Y'know, I don't actually remember the last time I washed this..."

Narcissus squirmed and squealed in horror, much to everyone else's delight. Anything to take their minds off the 'feast'.

The food, such as it was, was tough and tasteless. Someone had made an effort to create a palatable meal, but there was only so much that could be done with ancient roots and greens that could have easily been renamed 'greys'. Bunnymund would have relegated it all to the midden without a second thought, but just a few moments of observation made it clear that this really _was_ the best they had to offer. He wished he'd had the chance to go back to his warren and raid his stores; even the remains of last years harvest was leagues above _this_. But opening a tunnel inside the burrow would have been an unpardonable breach of conduct; Basil had been right to remind him that he needed to tread carefully and observe all the social niceties.

Rue was conspicuous in her absence, not that Bunnymund was surprised. It was a carefully calculated insult: _You are not important enough to deserve my time._ The other Pookas treated him with polite civility masking barely contained curiosity -- all except Rowan, who had claimed the seat to Bunnymund's left and continued to regard him with open welcome, gleefully telling anyone who would listen stories of the Awesome Feats that Bunnymund used to pull off back in their home warren, years ago. Jack sat to Bunnymund's right, taking turns with Rowan when it came to story telling duty.

So far, Jack had covered the Blizzard of '68, the time his shirt had fallen apart completely, and was now covering one of his many attempts to break in to North's workshop, with Bunnymund providing color commentary.

"Does he _really_ deliver toys to _everywhere_?" Rowan asked breathlessly.

As stealthily as he could, Bunnymund snuck some of his food onto the kit's nearly empty plate. "Absolutely."

Little Rosemary broke a rather sad looking carrot into smaller bits and started eating them slowly. "How come he never brings _us_ presents?"

Clearly, today was _Punch Bunnymund In The Gut_ Day.

"Well..." he said slowly, "you lot are so clever at hiding that he doesn't even know you're here. I'd call that a real testament to your skills, cause that old bandit gets bloody _everywhere_." The younger kits were appeased by the statement, but there were a few dark and disbelieving expressions amongst the older ones.

"Besides," Basil pointed out, "Rue would probably try to set him on fire."

Basil had settled himself away from the feast, and he had taken no food. The other cloaked once had come through, taken their share, then retired to whatever sheltered parts of the burrow they called their own to dine in solitude. Once more, Bunnymund wondered just _what_ lay beneath those all concealing cloaks.

"Our Rue's gone a bit brutal," Bunnymund noted, sadness welling up inside him for a moment. The Rue he remembered had been an enthusiastic, cheerful sheila, greeting strangers with open arms and endless questions, not unlike her brother.

"It's her job to keep us safe," Rowan said, clearly parroting something he'd heard a thousand times before. "Sorrel says she's paranoid-" The kit stuck his tongue out at a young buck, who retorted with a rude gesture of his own, "-but Rue says-"

"It's not paranoia if the shadow demons really are out to get you!" several of the Pookas said in chorus, with a great deal of eye rolling and head shaking.


	7. Chapter 7

"C'mon." Jack got up, gripping Bunnymund's shoulder before he took Rowan by the paw. "Lets go find out what you're sister's up to, hm?"

Rowan slid off his seat, grabbing Bunnymund's paw and tugging him along so that he would swing between the pair. "Tell me more about your warren," the kit wheedled. Bunnymund wasn't sure exactly how the conversation had turned to his own warren -- Jack had been telling a greatly exaggerated version of the defeat of Pitch (with Baby Tooth taking the role of Princess to Jack's White Knight), and he'd gotten to the preparations for the failed Easter when the kits had started asking questions. _How big_ was the warren, did he _really_ do all the eggs for Easter, what did he grow there -- they found it endlessly fascinating. They didn't even get to the part of the tale where Easter failed by the time Jack was ready to go in search of Rue.

At that point, Bunnymund was hard pressed to think of anything he _hadn't_ already gone over in detail. "There's watercress," he mentioned, dredging up an ancient memory. Had it been Rowan who'd loved watercress, or his sister? "It grows by the dye river, so it's all sorts of colors."

"Watercress," Rowan sighed wistfully. "We can't get it to grow here."

"I'll bring you some next time I come by. How's that sound?"

Rowan rewarded him with a brilliant smile as they headed down a tunnel. "That'll make Rue happy."

The tunnel they moved down had clearly been dug out for food storage, and it looked like despite the best efforts of the Pookas, it was about to collapse. Someone or something had undermined the walls; groundwater was seeping in, turning it dank and moldy and making the floor treacherously slippery. The stench of rot wormed it's way into Bunnymund's nose, making his stomach churn.

They found Rue at the end, excavating a collapsed section with little success. "I thought I told Basil to deal with you," she snapped. A bit of the ceiling fell away with a wet plot, splattering at Bunnymund's feet.

Jack made a face at the mud that threatened to ooze down on him, freezing it with a tap of his staff. "Thought there were some things you should here," he said lightly. "Since you decided to miss the epic tale of how I saved the world from Pitch Black."

Rue's hackles rose, and she continued to dig. "Don't care."

"But Rue!" Rowan didn't even pretend not to be whining, drawing his sister's name out to five syllables.

"Can't you see I'm busy? This isn't going to fix itself, you know."

Bunnymund eyed the damage critically. Maybe if they'd had the right tools, or builders who'd made it past apprenticeship... But even then, it would have been a war of attrition. This warren would have been written off as uninhabitable by anyone with reasonable standards.

"But Aster was telling us about his warren-"

"I'm sure it's lovely." Rue's voice was as bitterly cold as the worst of Jack's storms as she continued her futile work.

Jack used the crook of his staff to gently make the doe turn to face them. She brushed at the foul mud that coated her arms and chest, scowling at Jack in a way that made it clear that he was swiftly using up what little tolerance she had for him. "Bunny was telling me something _really_ interesting about his warren before we got here." The winter spirit gave Bunnymund a little nudge of encouragement while Rowan gasped excitedly.

"Oh what is it tell us tell us _please!_ "

Someday, Bunnymund was going to discover where all the boundless energy of youth came from and learn how to bottle it. It was like the kit could summon up enthusiasm for _anything_.

Rue's scowl turned on her brother, softening. "Don't you have a dinner to be eating?" she asked, not at all subtle in her hint. Rowan remained right where he was, jaw thrust out stubbornly.

"I wanna hear it."

"Everyone else in this bloody burrow does what I say," Rue murmured, kneeling in front of Rowan and running a paw over his ears. "Why won't you?"

"Cause you love me best, and Jack says everyone should have someone who questions everything they do."

The look Rue tossed Jack could have curdled milk, but the boy was utterly unrepentant. "What is it, then?" she demanded, rising back to her feet.

Bunnymund swallowed, trying to bring some moister back into his mouth. If she said _no_ , the whole colony would go along with her. She was their Elder, and he was all but a stranger, friend of Jack Frost or not. "When I came here, when I built my warren, I built it for _all_ Pookas. I thought you'd be following, not-" He exhaled slowly. "You don't have to live like _this_. None of you do."

"He's got _watercress_ ," Rowan added, as if that would erase the growing look of rage from his sister's face.

The only thing surprising about the slap was the force behind it, enough to make Bunnymund’s head turn. He caught the second one before it could land, squeezing Rue’s wrist with just enough pressure to let her know he meant business. ”First one’s free. Second’ll cost ya," he warned her before letting go, stepping back enough to allow Jack to come between them. "This is no fit place for kits-"

"We've managed _without_ any help from anyone but Jack for the last _seventy years_!" Only Jack blocking Rue kept her from taking another swing at Bunnymund. "While you and your Guardians ignored him and us! What gives you the right to come to us _now_?" Her voice broke on the last word, and Rowan clutched her arms as she sank to her knees in the mud. "You've no right to say that to me."

If Bunnymund hadn't been sure she'd break his arm, he'd have reached for the doe. He let Jack do it instead, resting a pale hand on the black fur of her head.

"The important thing is he's here now," Jack pointed out gently. "And you don't have to hide from Pitch anymore."

Rue didn't look up, and to Bunnymund's surprise, she didn't push Jack away. She just looked at her little brother and sighed. "We need to establish a few ground rules."

And so the negotiations began.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack and Bunnymund were in complete agreement when it came to dealing with the Tooth Fairy. She was a dear friend, a trusted ally, and had been a great help in cleaning up the warren in preparation for the arrival of the Pooka colony. North had sent a few of his yetis to help with the heavy lifting, but it had been Tooth and her fairies who had scouted out the disused tunnels of the warren, finding what needed the most attention and cleaning with the same efficiency and enthusiasm she usually reserved for collecting teeth. She'd spent the last two hours chirping happily about how much she was looking forward to finally getting to _meet_ the kits (and see their teeth).

"Absolutely not," the two Guardians chorused, and they remained unswayed by Tooth's expression of surprise and hurt.

Bunnymund ran a paw over his face, grimacing. "They're a bunch of kits who haven't seen anyone other than _Jack_ for the last seventy years, and now they're moving out of the only place they've called home to somewhere they've never even _seen_ before. Give 'em a bit of time to get settled."

"Also," Jack added helpfully, "they'd bite your fingers off." Bunnymund groaned, and Tooth looked perplexed. "What? It's _true_. You'd go sticking your fingers in their mouths to get a look at their teeth, and they'd bite down. And that would be unpleasant for everyone."

"You could give me a _little_ credit," Tooth groused, but neither Jack nor Bunnymund were having any of it. Bunnymund politely but firmly escorted the Tooth Fairy out of the warren, reassuring her that she _would_ get her chance to meet the kits in due time.

Personally, Jack was in favor of putting it off as long as possible. The last thing any of the Pookas would tolerate was someone as bright and loud and _invasive_ as Tooth trying to get up close and personal with them. It'd taken the better part of a decade for them to really get used to _him_ , and Jack had been careful not to come around too often, lest he wear out his welcome.

Jack swept the warren for any stray fairies that might have chosen to linger. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he produced the snow globe he'd begged off North and whispered, "The burrow," before smashing it against the ground.

Bunnymund had been against using North's magic portals, which had immediately lead to Rue insisting on them. Basil had sided with the doe, citing the need for speed and efficiency in the move.

Most of the discussions about the move had come down to arguments between Rue and Bunnymund, with Basil casting the deciding vote and Jack making fun of everyone. He'd been left out of the negotiations, but he knew part of the deal was that Rue and Basil would retain their status as Elders of the warren, with Bunnymund joining them to make a triad. Officially, Jack had been given Honorary Elder status, which meant exactly nothing, beyond being free to come and go from the warren as he pleased. Which, admittedly, was kinda a big deal; none of the other Guardians had that kind of access to the warren. Rue had insisted on it, and Bunnymund had agreed without a fight.

Beyond that, the negotiations had been all about compromise. All major changes to the warren's defenses needed to have Bunnymund's approval, while Rue had final say over things that affected the kits. Bella was to be given charge of all things medicinal once Bunnymund had assured himself that she wasn't going to accidentally poison them all, and the kits would take shifts guarding the major entrances to the warren. Kitchen duty would be shared, and the plants Bunnymund needed for Easter would be left alone. No one was to be conscripted into egg painting, and the kits were to give Bunnymund all the space he needed in the weeks before Easter when the bulk of the work with the eggs was done. Meanwhile, Bunnymund was not to go in to any part of the warren that had been claimed as someone's living quarters without express permission (outside of emergencies).

Rue wasn't happy that she hadn't gotten to personally inspect the warren's defenses yet, but she had grudgingly acknowledged that the basic layout was sound (even if there were too many ways in for her liking).

The Pookas began flooding through the portal, the very model of order and efficiency. Rue came first, flamethrower strapped to her back, with Sage, Fern, and Hyacinth behind her, armed for bear. Once she was satisfied that there was no ambush coming, the rest followed, loaded down with the things that they couldn't stand to leave behind. On the whole, there was depressingly little of that; a few toys and books Jack had brought them over the years, patchwork quilts and weapons, and damn near everything from the garden, despite Bunnymund's assurances that he could more than provide for the Pookas on that score. Nothing of any use had been left behind, and as soon as the last of them was clear, Sorrel set off the explosives, collapsing the old warren behind them.

Seventy years, and now there wasn't even a hole in the ground to mark what had once been their home.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Bunnymund drawled, spreading his arms, "welcome to the warren."

Jack stood back, watching as the Pookas looked around themselves in open wonder. They huddled close together, as if they still didn't exactly trust that what they were seeing wasn't some kind of trick; even Rowan stuck close to the group without any prompting. A few hissed at the unexpected brightness of Bunnymund's warren, and the cloaked Pookas looked longingly for shadows to hide themselves in. Jack's heart went out to them -- they had to be feeling terribly exposed in the unfamiliar light, and they crowded around Basil for protection.

Rue, true to her utterly humorless nature, broke the spell of wonder. "Rooms first, then I want to see the defenses. Everyone stay together! No wandering off, 'cause I'll leave you to starve if you get lost! Hop to!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Despite all the room the warren had to offer, the kits didn't spread out very far. Each and every one of them could have had a room entirely to themselves, but it didn't take long for them to settle together in clusters of three or four, unwilling or unable to be alone in the long disused rooms of the warren.

Jack stayed with the kits who wanted to settle in to their new digs while Bunnymund went on with the grand tour. Despite Rue's wishes, he ended up leading them through the kitchen and it's garden, where Bella had managed to keep them, demanding to know where _everything_ was and what it did. Rue treated this with surprising patience, despite her growls and glowers.

They were still there when Jack appeared, draping himself across Bella's shoulder while she waxed on rapturously about the quality of Bunnymund's lavender. "Hazel's having one of her headaches," he said, jerking his head back towards the the space the kits had laid claim to. Bella whined softly, but tore herself away from the garden.

"Probably all the light. I think I still have some of the tea left -- thankfully, I can make _more_ now, and... oh, we're going to need it. If Hazel's having problems, Poplar and Juniper won't be far behind. Go tell them to have a lie down, I'll be right there."

Bunnymund blocked Jack's way, taking shameless advantage of his greater height to keep the winter spirit from going. "Something I need to know?" he asked suspiciously as he tried to put faces to the names.

Rue folded her arms, chin thrusting out in a way he'd come to associate with oncoming headaches. "Not really."

Jack leaned on his staff, expressions flashing too quickly across his face for Bunnymund to read, and Bella stared at her feet. "He's gonna see sooner or later," Jack pointed out.

" _What_ am I gonna see?" Bunnymund demanded as he finally made the connection between the names and the Pookas that bore them.

Long, all concealing cloaks like the one Basil wore, and voices that rarely rose above a whisper, when they spoke at all. Bella met his gaze, gesturing to her mismatched eyes. "When Jack changed us back," she explained, "the transformation wasn't always complete. What I've got is actually pretty mild. Some of the others... it's pretty bad."

Jack looked away guiltily, which got him a cuff to the side of the head from Rue. "Don't you start," she hissed.

"How bad is it?" Bunnymund had to ask, thinking of the half glimpsed things he'd seen beneath those cloaks. How bad would it have to be to force someone to go cloaked all the time, even around people who clearly _knew_?

"You should probably ask them," Bella suggested.

Rue's smile was unsurprisingly nasty. "Who knows. They might even show you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame any and all weirdness in this chapter on the fact that I'm running on no sleep at the moment. I'm sure I'll be properly horrified by what I have written once I get some rest.


	9. Chapter 9

Someone had turned the lights down so far that it was hard for even Bunnymund, with his excellent night vision, to see. The cloaked Pookas had claimed the furthest corner of the warren for their own; not even the other kits ventured into the darkened, quiet tunnels. It was, in a word, eerie. Bunnymund had excavated these tunnels himself, but in the space of a few hours, they had ceased to be _his_.

Rue had gone ahead of them while Bella had collected her medicine, tutting at how little there was. "I'll be raiding the garden as soon as we're done -- and I noticed there were a few things missing that I'm going to need --"

Jack remained curiously silent, drawing his hood up over his head while Bella insistently filled the silence with her chatter. Bunnymund mentally noted everything the doe said; most of the plants she insisted she needed were used to create a draught for dreamless sleep. He also noted what she _didn't_ talk about, like the way her right eye glowed faintly in the gloom, or how she easily navigated through the darkness that was giving even Bunnymund trouble.

' _And she says her condition is **mild**._ '

Rue emerged from the darker shadows, mouth pressed into a thin line. "They've given their okay," she told them, jerking her head towards one of the bedrooms before glaring once more at Bunnymund. "If you so much as _twitch_ wrong at any of them-"

"Give me a _little_ credit, Rue." Really, the attitude was getting tiresome. Bella pulled the door open and slipped inside while Bunnymund lingered just outside, letting his eyes adjust.

Crude nests lined the walls, and a few precious possessions had begun to fill the shelves above while tattered cloaks hung from hooks. A young doe was curled up in one of the nests, whimpering as she curled around herself, even as she was held gently by another kit. Bunnymund felt his gorge rise as he began to take in the details; the girl's fur was pale and patchy, revealing unhealthy grey skin beneath. As she turned her face away, he caught a flash of too large, too sharp teeth poking from her mouth, and the ears that flattened against her skull were tipped with a dark, horny growth.

The boy who held her was no better off; instead of the long ears of a Pooka, his were short, spiny frills that gave him a slightly fishy appearance. His whiskers had been replaces with dark spines that twitched with every breath, and his thin, hairless arms ended in long claws. He looked at Bunnymund and shrunk back against the earthen wall, a long and spiny tail twitching behind him.

Bella settled on the nest beside the two creatures, gently taking the doe's face in her hands and coaxing her mouth open. "I know it tastes awful, but then your head will be all better," she crooned. The buck helped her sit up, and Bella carefully began pouring her concoction down the afflicted Pooka's throat. "There's a love, that's right..."

"No sudden movements, if you please," Basil whispered from the shadows beside the door, drawing Bunnymund's attention away from the scene playing out before him.

That was when Bunnymund realized that Basil was even larger than he'd first suspected; the buck would have towered over even North, and really was just as broad as the old man. Where the other Pookas were whipcord lean, he was thick muscle, with a great barrel chest and arms like tree trunks.

At least, the top pair were. Emerging from the thick dark fur of his rib cage were two smaller sets of arms, hairless and grey fleshed, and like the boy in the nest's, they ended in wicked looking claws. Spines rose in a crest between Basil's long eats, running down his back and ending at a long tail that curled around his waist. Fur gave way to dark scales on his heavy legs, and more dark claws dug into the floor as he limped into view. One leg was smaller and twisted, not from the deformations caused by his Fearling state, but what looked more like a bad break that hadn't healed right.

His eyes were green, and his smile was gentle.

"Mr. Bunnymund."

"Basil," Bunnymund managed say without croaking. "Settling in alright?"

"Well enough, well enough. We're a bit low on nesting material, but we'll make do."


	10. Chapter 10

There were all kinds of different flavors of chaos in the world, Jack knew. The wild and random chaos of a harsh winter storm, the controlled chaos of Bunny's warren during Easter (and North's workshop year round), the thrilling chaos of constantly shifting allegiances in a snowball fight... but there was a certain kind of chaos that could _only_ be managed by children, be they human or Pooka kits, when exploring a new place.

And there was so _much_ to explore! The Pookas had spent the better part of a century cooped up in one small warren, practically living on top of each other in what was little more than a cold, dark hole in the ground. Now there was _space_ and _color_ and _light_! There were rooms they hadn't been looking at for years, and plants that weren't grey and barely hanging on, and a dye river that was just perfect for pushing annoying people in to.

The dye could be washed out of fur eventually, as Sorrel discovered, but it took some work. It also didn't cover any of the black spots of fur, to the disappointment of many.

But even in chaos, there were those steady bastions of order, humorless bastards that they were. The Pookas were there less than two days before Jack was presented with the first list of 'necessities'. Most of them, Jack dismissed out of hand; he'd learned his lesson about bringing Rue machine parts without finding out _exactly_ what they were going to be used for. The Sandbox Tree was also out, at Bunnymund's insistence. People needed to be able to _use_ the entrances, and he didn't particularly want something growing in his warren that was basically a giant Death Tree. Basil had sided with him, and that was the end of that.

But as the Pookas began to really settle in, more things came up. New cloaks for Basil and his cohorts. Dishes. The medicinal plants Bella needed that Bunnymund didn't already have. More bedding for the kits. Glue and thread and all the thousand other little things that a single buck never needed and easily did without, but were growing increasingly more necessary to make life in the warren comfortable. By the end of the third week, Bunnymund was finally ready to admit that the preparations he had taken so much pride in before weren't really up to handling the reality he was faced with. The list just kept getting longer and longer, and when Bunnymund had put a stop to Jack's filching of items from the unsuspecting in the wider world, it had stopped getting filled.

"We'll have to go to North," Bunnymund finally conceded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It should have been a quick trip to North's workshop and back. It had _looked_ like it was going to be a quick trip. The old man was _more_ than happy to take the long list of necessities and send his yetis off after them. A great pile of things to make the warren more livable built up before Bunnymund, including an ever growing collection of toys that had certainly _not_ been on the list. Bunnymund regarded the toys with a certain amount of dread; as much as it made his heart soar to know that he wasn't the last Pooka, he'd also had centuries to adjust to the gentle quiet of his solitary warren, and while the kits weren't nearly so loud and rambunctious as most children, it was so much _more_ than he was used to having in the space he thought of as his.

This was what he normally thought of as his off season, when he'd take some time to rest and recuperate from the toils of Easter, and being making plans for the next one.

Moving the kits in was hardly the restful period Bunnymund was used to. They got in to _everything_ , with Rowan and Jack leading the charge, and Rue tailing behind like a sour storm cloud.

At least they listened to her, and while she made no secret of her continuing disdain for Bunnymund, she did her best to minimize the damage the kits did.

"That everything?" Bunnymund asked, eyeing the pile. A few elves were attempting to scale the newest mountain in the workshop, and Bunnymund began plucking them off and sending them on their way. The _last_ thing he needed were elves in the warren on top of everything else.

North turned an appraising look on the loot, nodding to himself. "Nearly so," he said, "but there is one more thing."

_Here we go._ There was gonna be some great, loud, annoying toy, with bells and whistles and things that went ping-

"I want to meet them."

Okay, that _wasn't_ what Bunnymund had been expecting. "You will, you will-"

" _Before_ you take things," North continued, planting himself in front of the pile. "You and Jack, you keep Pookas to yourselves, and this is fine. For a while. But now, I am thinking, is good time to expand things. So they are not so dependent on you and Jack for every little thing." He picked one of the soft toys out of the pile, a little brown rabbit. "Bring them here. Might be some things they are needing that they did not think of."

"Are you seriously holding the supplies hostage until I bring the ankle biters around?" Bunnymund demanded, anger boiling inside him. North remained unrepentant as he nodded.

"Quick visit," he promised. "Then, all yours."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of Shadow Rabbits having nearly 4000 hits (and my ongoing inability to sleep), have another chapter.
> 
> ALSO in honor of the 4000 hits, I'm throwing open requests. Is there something y'all wanna see from the Shadow Rabbits universe? Drop me a line! Replies will most likely go up on my Tumblr in the [Shadow Rabbits](http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/shadow+rabbits) tag, with a link in the comments section or something. I'll work it out when it's not four in the morning.
> 
> Again, thanks to EVERYONE who's reading this, kudosing it, bookmarking it, and each and every one of you mad people who've subscribed.

It took seven weeks of 'making do' before anyone was willing to acknowledge that it wasn't going to work. It wasn't the chance at creature comforts that they'd long been missing that broke the resistance, nor was it any of the supposed necessities they were doing without.

In the end, it was the need for sleep.

Despite Bella's continued efforts, plants could grow only so fast, even within the warren. Harvest too much too soon, and the plants would die. Drying, curing, and preparing them all required time and patience, and she had lost most of her stored supplies before the move. Consequently, she was cutting back on people's doses so they didn't run out completely.

The nightmares soon followed. It seemed like no kit could sleep for long before being driven back to wakefulness by whatever lurked in the dark recesses of their minds; not even bright, chipper Rowan was immune. His screams filled the night more than once, drawing Rue away until she could lull him back to sleep. Eventually, not even Jack's frequent visits could rouse more than the faintest of smiles, and not even Bunnymund was getting much sleep anymore.

He knew that it was time to see North when he found Rue dozing outside his door, her brother held tightly in her lap. She'd been trying to groom his fur, and the handle had snapped off the brush at some point. It was, Bunnymund knew, the last one; the kits had started to shed massively as the weather had warmed, leaving them not only sleepless but _hot_ and _itchy_ as well. Many a brush had lost the battle with Narcissus's long, thick fur, but the truth was that none of the kits were easy on their brushes.

Bunnymund had waited as patiently as he could until Rue was awake enough to be coherent. "I don't like it any better than you do."

"You've fallen in with a bad crowd, Aster. Holding supplies hostage until he gets what he wants." Rue scritched her nails down her brother's back, paw coming away covered in red fur.

"How 'bout you and me make him pay for that?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was Jack's idea for them to carry out everything not nailed down. Rue organized the raiding party while Bunnymund provided them with as much intel about the inside of North's workshop as he could remember. By the time they were ready to go, everyone knew their part of the plan.

The raid was to be conducted in near total silence, and as quickly as possible while Rue and Jack provided the distraction.

The youngest kits were left behind, under Basil's watchful eye, and Bunnymund lead his people forth, into North's Workshop.

Thankfully, North opted not to greet them with a big musical number. Possibly, he'd learned his lesson from the first attempt to make Jack a Guardian. The kits immediately spread out, using the maps Bunnymund had created for them as a guide while Rue marched up to North, in full on Elder mode.

"Welcome, welcome little ones!" North caroled, spreading his arms in a wide welcome. His face slowly fell as he realized that the kits were ignoring him, distress and confusion filling his big blue eyes.

"You are North, then?" Rue sniffed. "The... Santa Claus?" She glanced at Jack for conformation, and the winter spirit nodded slightly. Rue clasped her paws behind her ramrod straight back, ears upright and trying to make herself look as big as possible. Jack had always found it kind of amusing when she tried to pull the Elder Of The Warren card on him, but seeing it used on someone else was a grand thing. "I am Elder Kohane of the Bunnymund Warren. I am given to understand that you wished to meet with me."

"Yes, yes!" North strode forward, and Rue hopped back a few steps while Jack caught North's sleeve with his staff. Stealing all the guy's crap was one thing, but having Rue punch him in the throat was another.

Even if it would be really funny and North kinda deserved it.

North took the hint, backing up a step. "I have been looking forward so much to meeting all of you!" he said, still enthusiastically bombastic.

Rue, bless her cold and humorless soul, refused to be caught up in North's normally infectious enthusiasm. "You will speak and deal with myself or Elder Bunnymund. I have chosen to grant you an audience based on Elder Bunnymund and Jack's assurances that you are, in fact, an ally rather than a..." She trailed off, peering around North to look at the great, spinning globe that dominated the upper levels of the workshop. The lights glowed gently, representing thousands upon thousands of believers. Jack and Bunnymund had spent hours describing everything in the workshop in painstaking detail, including the Globe.

Rue pushed past North, resting her paws on the railing as she looked up at it. "They all believe in you?" she asked Jack. "There are so many."

"I'm not _that_ popular yet," Jack admitted with a little grin, perching on the railing beside Rue. For a moment, she was actually letting her guard down, and he wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.

"Where would we be?"

North perked up, going to the globes controls. "That, I can show you!" For a moment, the globe spun faster, then came to a stop. North pointed to Australia, deep in the interior of the continent. "Entrances all over the world, but the Warren is..." It was North's turn to trail off as he realized no lights glowed where the warren was. Rue's walls went back up, mouth forming a hard, thin line.

"Whatever we are... we don't count."

North looked like a punch in the throat would have been more welcome than those words, and Jack silently squeezed Rue's shoulder. His hand came away coated in black fur.

Something small, furry, and red rocketed through the workshop, breaking the descending melancholy like a hammer shattering glass. "Rue! Come look at this!"

Jack felt like he was going to swallow his tongue. "I thought you left Rowan at the warren."

"I did!" Rue shouted over her shoulder, taking off after her brother.


	12. Chapter 12

Bunnymund stood back and let the kits get to work, occasionally stepping in to help one of them haul something particularly large, or to direct them to an as yet untouched store room, and reflected that after two months of being in close quarters with them, the New and Shiny had finally started to wear off.

It wasn't that he wasn't overjoyed to have them, but the _reality_ of having a small colony of kits constantly underfoot had finally sunk in... as had how very _damaged_ they actually were.

They were walking bundles of contradictions; quieter than Bunnymund expected, but louder than Bunnymund was used to after centuries of solitude, and a strange mix of adult and child that filled Bunnymund with so much sorrow. Centuries of fighting for the childhoods of so many humans had left him with some very definitive views on how children _should_ act, and at no point did it include weapons training, guard duty, or waking in the middle of the night plagued by nightmares so horrible that you would sooner go entirely without dreams.

There were noises in the morning now, that jostled Bunnymund from his sleep and left him feeling cranky all day, and arguments between the kits that ranged from the comically unimportant to the genuinely serious that he, as an Elder and as the only actual adult, found himself being forced to settle. His fellow "Elders" were little to no help, both insisting that if he was going to be an Elder, he needed to act like one.

For years, he'd dreamed of his people filling the warren, until the dreams had become too painful for him to bear. To have them nearly parodied by the reality he faced was almost too much.

To Bunnymund's surprise, Jack had been a godsend. While none of the kits seemed willing to trust their new Elder entirely, they all adored Jack, and would have probably merrily marched right into Pitch's lair if he'd asked them to. Not even Rue was immune, despite her protests to the contrary and continued threats of a painful, flaming death. Jack just laughed and teased and somehow managed to keep everything from coming to blows.

"Oh, we need this!"

Bunnymund turned at the sound of something heavy scraping across the floorboards to find Narcissus dragging a massive sewing machine behind him, trailed by elves toting bolts of cloth. The yetis had all retreated before the tidal wave of incoming kits, giving them free reign over the workshop; some of the grumbling and grunting Bunnymund had caught left him with the impression that they thought having the workshop stripped bare was no less than North deserved. But the elves, with their manic smiles and little tinkly bells, had remained annoyingly underfoot, lead by a particularly colorful fellow who was, at the moment, riding on Narcissus's narrow shoulders. "Just the machine, not the elves!" Bunnymund said quickly.

He missed the way Narcissus plucked the most colorful of the elves from his shoulder and hugged him close; Jack had abandoned his role of Distraction, and was grabbing Bunnymund's arm to pull him along. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping North busy?"

"I think Rue and Rowan have that covered," Jack chuckled. "You've gotta come see!"

"I thought we left Rowan _at home_."

Jack shrugged expressively. "I guess he didn't agree. He's _really_ distracting, though."

"I bet," Bunnymund groaned, watching the orderly assault on North's workshop fall apart in his mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Something had actually brought Rowan to a halt by the time Jack and Bunnymund caught up with him. They were in the outer layers of the workshop, where the reindeer were housed and, most importantly, where the sleigh was stored when it wasn't in use. North was leaning smugly against the side, erasing any lingering guilt Bunnymund might have felt over the raid. Rowan had already climbed inside, and was giving Rue a big eyed, hopeful stare. "Oh please," the kit wheedled, and Bunnymund could have sworn he saw the beginnings of tears in the boy's eyes, "please, Rue? Just _one_ little ride?"

"Is very safe!" North added brightly. "I am _very_ good driver!"

Jack detached himself from Bunnymund, brushing a hand down Rue's arm. "It'll be fun!" he agreed, jumping into the sleigh next to Rowan and rapping his arms around the kit. How very _distracting_ a sleigh ride or two would be went completely unspoken.

"I hate you all," Rue hissed. "I hate you and I know where you sleep!"

"You love us," Rowan retorted, reaching out to grab his sister by the arms. Jack helped him haul Rue into the sleigh while North let out a triumphant whoop and began hitching the reindeer. Bunnymund had almost succeeded in edging away when Rue glared at him icily over her shoulder.

" _You too_ , Aster."

North's eyes locked on Bunnymund, not unlike a hawk spotting prey. His smile was wide and wicked, and Jack matched it.

Bastards, all of them. Rowan had turned that hopeful, pleading look on him, the final nail in the coffin. Grumbling as North herded him to the sleigh, he promised himself that he _was_ going to throw up on someone before it was over with.

He'd had a big lunch. Maybe he'd manage to get all of them.

 

The sleigh was off like a shot, North letting out another great whoop as cold air and the mountain tunnels rushed past. Rowan was pressed hard against the seat, bright blue eyes going wide as ice and stone rushed past, and his nails dug into the seats. Bunnymund groaned, keeping his bile down and only barely aware that the kit was slowly scooting closer to him, finally settling when he was pressed firmly against Bunnymund’s side. They burst out into the open air, and behind them Rue let out a gasp. Bunnymund turned his head slowly to look and found the doe standing, staring over the back of the sleigh, with Jack hanging on to her leg to keep her from tumbling off. When she turned, she was grinning madly, and she climbed over Bunnymund and Rowan to sit beside North.

“How fast can this thing go?” she asked breathlessly. North grinned, wide and fierce and proud as he snapped the reigns, urging the reindeer faster.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow, look at all the people. *waves to each and every follower, bookmarker, and reader* Hi. I'm not really sure what you're doing here, but... yeah. Hi.
> 
> Currently working on the When Jack Met Rue story I promised, and if anyone else has any requests, feel free to let me know!
> 
> A quick note, the little bit of Russian North uses in this chapter translates to 'my bunny'.

"Ground, sweet ground, I promise I will never _ever_ leave you again..." Rowan tumbled out of the sleigh and spread out on the floor, rubbing his cheek against it as if to reassure himself that he was once again on solid ground. Rue was still climbing all over the sleigh, nose practically pressed against it as she inspected every crack and crevice, shooting off questions at North while the old man preened. They didn't make any sense to Jack, but that didn't matter, just as long as North stayed distracted.

Bunnymund staggered out of the sleigh, glaring daggers at Jack. " _Never_ do that to me again."

"What's the matter, Cottontail? Still not a fan of the loopdeloops?" Jack teased, not entirely unkindly, as he walked along the back of the sleigh.

"Ruuuuuue, Jack's being mean," Rowan mewled, still clinging to the ground as if he were afraid he might be forced back into the flying death trap.

"That's because Jack's an ass," Rue reminded him, crawling beneath the sleigh and paying a nearby reindeer no heed when it tried to nip at her. "Ah-hah! I thought it started getting a bit bumpy when you were getting up to speed-"

'A bit bumpy', Jack mentally translated, meant when Rue had been nearly jostled out of the sleigh while inspecting the smaller version of North's globe that he used to navigate. Not that she'd noticed, even as Rowan wailed his despair and Bunnymund looked like he was going to pass out.

North squeezed beneath the sleigh, rocking it enough that Jack was forced to abandon his perch and cursing in Russian at whatever it was Rue had discovered. "Da, I see! Easy fix-"

"Strewth," Bunnymund sighed under his breath, leaning closer to Jack. "Distracting is one thing. I don't think we're gonna be able to pry her away."

"I think I saw a smile!" Jack chuckled back, bending over to peer under the sleigh. Rue and North were talking animatedly, scratching things into the layer of crud that had built up on the underside and going on about theorems and figures, with Rue insisting that while magic reindeer were all well and good, North could get _so much more_ out of the sleigh with a _proper_ engine. North was having none of it, arguing in favor of tradition and low environmental impact.

Bunnymund helped Rowan to his feet. "Yeah, show her a shiny gadget and you can't get it away from her until she's taken it to bits and made it 'better'."

"Please don't make me go on the sleigh again," Rowan whimpered, clinging to Bunnymund's leg. Jack looked at them both thoughtfully as the older Pooka reassured the kit that he would never be subjected to North and his flying ever again. It still hadn't really sunk in that Bunnymund and Rue _knew_ each other, mostly because outside the odd barb, they didn't _talk_ about it. It was just like everything else to do with the kits' lives before they'd become fearlings: they might drop the odd reference, but getting _answers_ was like pulling hen's teeth.

He knew Narcissus's family had lived on some kind of Imperial Homeworld, and Basil had been an artist. Little Rosemary's father used to sing her lullabies that she'd tried to teach to Jack, and Sorrel sometimes spoke of the great play-writes of the Empire. Every now and then Rowan would talk about how his home warren was the absolute _best_ , and how there had always been something to do, but Rue would just look sad and insist that she had more important things to do than talk about a past that didn't matter anymore. _Sitting about yammering about what was isn't going to weed the garden!_

Maybe Bunnymund would be a bit more chatty. For blackmail reasons, if nothing else.

Bella found them like that, Bunnymund still reassuring Rowan that he wasn't going to have to leave the ground and North and Rue going over the finer points of sleigh construction while Jack made fun of everyone in turns, looking furtive. She caught Jack's eye, the nodded once before taking off again.

Time to go.

Rowan caught the look too, and tottered over to his sister to cling to her leg. "'m tired," he announced, yawning hugely. North crouched down, practically cooing at the child.

"Ah, has been a big day for you, zaychik moy!" He reached out a big hand to Rowan, who flinched back, hiding behind Rue. The doe shifted her weight, paws balling into fists, and Bunnymund grabbed North's wrist, shaking his head.

"Better not," Jack warned. "Rowan bites, then it'll get infected-"

The kit made a noise of protest, but Rue picked him up, turning her back to North. "He's overtired, and not even supposed to be here. I think it's time we were on our way."

North didn't even bother to try and hide his disappointment. "But you come back again, very soon!" he insisted. "I show you the workshop proper. You'd like that, eh?"

Rue made a noncommittal noise, but Jack caught the flash of _want_ in her eyes as she glanced one last time at the sleigh. Bunnymund clearly didn't miss it either, if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"We'll see," he grunted, opening the way to his warren with a tap of his feet. Rue dropped easily into the hole, but North caught Bunnymund before he could follow.

"Is no trouble, there will of course be other things they need that will come up," the old man said gently. Jack thought of the very thorough plans the Pookas had made for their raid, and wished that he dared to stay and see the look on North's face. "You all just come see me, I get you sorted."

There was a gleam in Bunnymund's eyes that Jack thought he could grow to appreciate. "Sure, North. Sure." North repaid the tentative promise with a bear hug, striding off with a cheerful whistle. Bunnymund grabbed Jack and dropped into the hole; as it closed behind then, Jack thought he heard North swear.

" _ **My workshop!**_ "


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got hit by a sudden face full of Bunnymund feels. Enjoy.
> 
> Also, I wanted to put it to you, my good readers: What do you want to see first? The Burgess Believers in the Warren, or Tooth?

Bunnymund was reluctant to turn to Tooth, but he wasn't exactly spoiled for choice. It would be weeks yet before he'd willingly brave North's workshop, and Jack was too close to the issues, and while Sandy was a fantastic listener, there were just some things the ancient Wishing Star didn't understand. Not the way Tooth did. Of call his fellow Guardians, she understood him best, and he liked to think the understanding went both ways.

Tooth knew what it was to be The Last, to know that there was no one left in all the universe who had lived what you had, who got those little jokes that only made sense in a context that no longer existed -- she hadn't just survived the death of her family, horrible as that was in and of itself. She'd survived the death of her _culture_ , just like Bunnymund had.

Being The Last was a heavy burden; one eased by their Guardianship, certainly, but the weight never entirely lifted. When it had gotten too heavy to bear, they'd always had each other to turn to.

But Bunnymund _wasn't_ The Last anymore, which made him reluctant to turn to Tooth; it had taken him centuries to give up on his desperate hope, but for the last Sister of Flight, there had never been any hope at all. To rub salt in those old wounds seemed unnecessarily cruel, and he knew better than most that wounds like that never healed completely.

However, much as he hated to admit it, he _needed_ an outside perspective.

Bunnymund waited patiently while Tooth commanded and directed her fairies, arranging things so that she felt comfortable leaving them to their duties without her direct supervision. She took one look at Bunnymund and lead him deep within her sanctum, to the oldest rooms of Punjam Hy Loo. He settled himself on one of the cushions that lined the floor while she made tea, going over the events of the last few weeks in his head once more. Peace and quiet were rare things in the Tooth Palace, and the Tooth Fairy rationed them carefully; there was not another fairy to be seen, and Bunnymund was grateful for the privacy.

There had been no quiet in the Warren since the kits had gone _digging_. It hadn't been so bad even immediately after the raid on North's workshop. Most of the purloined toys and tools had made their way back to the Pole over the last few weeks, especially those on the list that Phil had sent back with Hyacinth. Gone long enough to teach North a lesson -- and long enough to give the Yetis a well earned and long overdue vacation -- but not so long that it would hinder Christmas. After the poor showing of Easter, there was no way anyone was going to risk another holiday going sour.

The hardest things to rid the warren of had been the elves; Narcissus kept helping them hide, insisting that he _needed_ them and their nimble little fingers.

"I hear you've taken up burglary as a hobby," Tooth said, as if reading Bunnymund's thoughts.

"Serves him right," the Pooka insisted. "He's lucky we didn't make off with the damn sleigh as well!"

At least Tooth looked amused instead of horrified or annoyed; always a good sign. "Well, you're _all_ on the Naughty List, so I hope it was worth it."

Bunnymund thought of the kits and Jack, all gleefully sorting through the piles of loot. Narcissus had declared that they could start living like civilized beings again, and things had swiftly evolved into an impromptu party, drawing out all but the most reclusive of Basil's shrouded brethren. Even Rue, still riding high from the sleigh ride, seemed to enjoy herself. Jack had taken great delight in demonstrating the use of every toy, utterly unable to hold still for more than a moment. The whole affair had ended with Jack, Basil, and Sorrel taking an unexpected dip in the glitter pool; the two Pookas were still shedding glitter wherever they went. "Yeah. Even worth the ride in that flying death trap."

"Wish I could have seen it," Tooth sighed wistfully.

Bunnymund barked a laugh. "Get Jack to tell you the story of how the Clever and Brave Jack Frost Helped Princess Rue Steal the Bandit King's Treasure. It's all the rage right now, a thrilling tale to be sure. I play a very minor role as court jester."

Tooth was unsympathetic to Bunnymund's plight as the butt of so many jokes... and she was patient. She listened as Bunnymund spoke of the day to day doings of the kits and Jack Frost, who remained a frequent visitor to the warren, waiting for him to come to what had brought him to her palace.

"I think they're finally getting comfortable. Settled in all nice and proper -- exploring the warren, even." Bunnymund found himself hesitating, slowly pushing the words out. "They found my old things. From before."

It had taken Bunnymund centuries to accept that he was The Last, and when he had -- it had not gone well, not for a good long while. He'd taken all his gadgets, all his tools, all his machines, and he'd shoved them away in a distant corner of the warren, walling those tunnels up behind him. The sentinels that replaced his machines were of a more earthy nature, much like Bunnymund himself had become when he had finally emerged. There had been so little left to remind him of what he'd lost, until-

 

_"Engine's shot to shit," Rue announced, thumping the egg shaped device with her paw, "but the rest is still salvageable."_

_Narcissus was tutting over the remains of Bunnymund's old clothes while pointedly muttering about wishing he had his little helpers back; like the relics of long dead kings, they'd been preserved in the tomb, only to fall to bits when exposed to fresh air and the lightest touch. Still, what remained could be used for making patterns; they could have proper clothes, not just Narcissus's best efforts with needle and thread. The other kits had swiftly gotten bored with the crumbling relics and broken machinery, but Rue sent her brother off to fetch the tools someone had thoughtfully forgotten to return to North. Basil lingered nearby, as he often did, one more green shadow amongst the foliage._

_Jack was spending time topside, slowly spreading the belief in him that would turn him into a true force to be reckoned with in time, alongside joy and fun. Up there, the leaves were beginning to turn, and the gentle nip in the air brought with it the promise of snow._

_If Jack had been there, maybe things wouldn't have gone so badly._

_Bunnymund had done his best to ignore what had been dragged back into the light. They were just_ things _, and seeing them shouldn't hurt, especially not_ now _. He was surrounded by his people once more. If he'd been in his right mind when he'd put them away, he'd have done what Rue was, and taken them apart for scrap and spare parts._

_"Looks like someone went at this one with a wrench. It's all dented."_

_Those had been_ very _dark days for Bunnymund. He'd wanted to get rid of everything that reminded him of what he'd lost._

_Even the pictures._

__Especially _the pictures._

_Bunnymund had grown up in a burrow full to bursting with kits; not quite the eldest, but near enough that he'd ended up responsible for most of his younger sibs. Never having any space to himself when he was younger had likely what had driven him to be so solitary as an adult, but he'd always kept something of his family with him wherever he traveled._

_The pictures had all ended up stuffed inside one of the old mechanical sentinels, spilling out when Rue opened it up. Bunnymund had been unable to resist the lure of old familiar faces-_

 

"They might still be alive," he told Tooth, finally giving voice tot the hope that had continued to stir within him from the moment he'd realized what Jack had brought him to see. "Still Fearlings, but Jack can -- all I'd have to do is find them-"

 

 _Bunnymund nearly hit Rue when she took the pictures and tossed them into the dye river. He'd wanted to,_ badly, but if he was going to save anything, he didn't have time to go chasing after the doe.

**How dare she?**

_He'd only asked-_

 

"-they were her friends. I thought she might know what happened."

Tooth clucked her tongue, but said nothing.

"I don't know what I'm doing half the time. Being babysitter back when was one thing, but _this_ \-- one of my fellow Elders hates me, I don't know what the other one's thinking half the time, and I just... I miss having the warren to myself. Everywhere I turn, I'm _reminded_ of everyone. Everything. And the only ones who might be able to give me some answers aren't talking to me anymore." His ears pressed back against his skull, and Bunnymund couldn't bring himself to look at Tooth. "She blames me, I know it."

The Light knew he'd blamed himself often enough, something Tooth knew very well. Maybe if he'd been there, he could have saved his people.

It was impossible to tell what Rowan thought; he'd stopped talking to Bunnymund, disappearing with a guilty look and mumbling an apology before going off to get into whatever trouble he could find.

"They were close? Your sisters and Rue?" Tooth asked.

"Thick as thieves." Bunnymund held both paws up in a warding gesture. "I know what you're gonna say, and I'm _trying_. I'm not a totally insensitive drongo, you know. But it feels like everything's just within reach, and then she goes and yanks it away!"

Bunnymund went on like that for a while longer, with Tooth lending a sympathetic ear and offering advice that he knew he would have given himself, if he wasn't so damn invested in everything.

He left Punjam Hy Loo with a promise of a chance to meet the kits in the near future. One of Rosemary's teeth had begun to come loose, giving him the _perfect_ excuse to bring the Tooth Fairy by. The trick was going to be working out how to manage the whole thing without it ending in an epic freak out. Tooth had agreed, not wanting to have her palace burgled like North's, however amusing _that_ had been.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this should have been up days ago, but the notebook I had written the original draft of this chapter in grew little legs and walked off while I was at work. Sadly, this means that ALL my currently in progress fics are going to be delayed while I work on re-creating what I had written, including the prequel story to Shadow Rabbits that I promised.

When Jack arrived, he didn't bother to go hunting for either of his wayward rabbits; instead, he froze part of the dye river and coaxed a few of the kits onto the ice, helping them slide about unsteadily until they were laughing again. Rosemary pulled him aside, opening her mouth wide to show the loosened tooth within (which she delighted in wiggling with her tongue), and Sorrel continued to whine about the glitter still stuck in his fur, trying to convince Jack to help him brush it out. Jack set Bella on him, enjoying Sorrel's shrieks of terror as she threatened to throw him in the dye river, how dare he let himself get in such a state?

Rue was the one who appeared first. She said nothing to Jack, but the way she dropped her eyes told Jack everything he needed to know.

"At least the latrines are clean," Basil sighed when Rue disappeared again, limping to the edge of the river. Cautiously, he tested the ice with one foot, then sat on the grass.

Jack wrinkled his nose, sliding out onto the ice once more. There'd been several attempts to explain just how the set up in the warren worked, and he was sure it was very ingenious... but he was _equally_ sure that he was happier just not knowing. He tried to snare Basil with his staff, but the Pooka was having none of it, deftly deflecting the crook. "That bad?"

"That bad." The great tent of a cloak shifted as Basil settled himself more comfortably. "Rue'll settle soon enough. How about your Mr. Bunnymund."

Jack spun thoughtfully, watching the frost ferns blossom beneath his feet in a rainbow of colors. "Holds a grudge," he admitted, "but we can always turn Rowan loose on him."

"Risky. He might develop an immunity, and then where would we be?" There was a great deal of complicated movement within the cloak before a pair of hands emerged, holding a knife and whetstone.

"We'll still have me."

Basil made a rude noise, letting the blade slide across the stone in a soothing rhythmic motion.

"Hey, I can run circles around Bunny any day, just watch me!" Jack did a little jig across the ice, shooting Basil a look when the Pooka choked, dropping both knife and stone. "What?"

"Nothing, Jack." His tone was entirely too innocent, but Jack let it slide for the time being. Basil resumed sharpening his knife. "Though... I don't suppose you could convince Mr. Bunnymund that there are some things he might be happier not knowing?"

For a moment, Jack was actually still. "It's his _family_. He deserves to know."

"Dare you to say that to Rue. I could use the laugh."

"I'm _not_ joking," Jack pointed out grimly, stepping back on to solid ground.

"Neither am I. Seeing Rue punch you is always the highlight of my day." Basil held the knife close to his face, inspecting it critically. "I'll work on her. You get _him_ to back off. He's waited this long, he can stand to wait a bit longer."

Reluctantly, Jack nodded in agreement. "Deal."

 

Bunnymund returned to the warren, saying nothing and speaking to no one. Jack pretended not to notice, helping Fern glide across the ice until he crashed into Sage. He watched the kits slipping about on the frozen river for a while, carefully avoiding the mechanical eggs when he left. Jack followed, not even bothering to pretend that he wasn't. "You good?"

Bunnymund grunted, stopping outside the tunnel that lead to his personal chambers. "What do you want, Jack?"

Jack reached into the pouch of his hoodie, producing a brush that he twirled between his fingers. "Thought you were looking a bit raggedy, wanted to see if you needed a hand."

The look that flashed across Bunnymund's face was priceless; the sudden realization of how much the fur he'd been shedding _itched_ , accompanied by a full body twitch. His grooming since the shedding season had started had been fairly basic. Jack was willing to bet hardly _anyone_ saw the Easter Bunny this time of year, and he'd just let himself go. Jack had occasionally fallen in to the same pattern during the summer months, until the kits started dragging him off during his visits to clean him up.

"I give the best brushing. Ask anyone."

Bunnymund scratched at his side, apparently without realizing it until he caught Jack watching him. "I got it," he insisted. Jack shrugged, tucking the brush away while Bunnymund tried to pick the loose fur from his nails. Shedding season was a stone bitch, but if he wanted to suffer for his pride, so be it. "You see Rosemary's tooth?" he added.

"Sucker's gonna drop any day now." Jack grimaced. "And Tooth can't pick it up the usual way."

Bunnymund was scratching again, wiggling in the way of all bipedal creatures with an itch in the middle of their back. "She'll keep her distance till we can work something out-"

Jack bit back the urge to say _Just as soon as you and Rue are on speaking terms again._ "Well, while we work on that, I've been thinking..."

"A dangerous pass time," Bunnymund noted dryly, snatching the brush out of the air before Jack could hit himself with it. "Your head might overheat."

"Har har." Jack grabbed the brush back. "I wanna introduce Jamie and the others. Not right _now_ ," he added quickly, "but... I think they're almost ready."

Unspoken was the idea that a bunch of human kids would be easier for the Pookas to handle than one of the most powerful spirits on the planet. Bunnymund started scratching again, stopping once more as soon as he saw Jack smirking. "When things are a bit less... tense," he agreed. Jack watched with some small delight as a twitch formed below Bunnymund's eye, and he rolled his shoulders. Carefully, Jack attempted to copy Tooth's coin rolling trick with the brush; it wasn't nearly as graceful, but the Easter Bunny's expression made it totally worth it.

"I'm gonna go see if Basil doesn't have a few ideas on the tooth situation, unless there's anything you need," Jack murmured lightly as he turned. 

He didn't even get the chance to put the brush away before Bunnymund caved. "Might need a _little_ help with the back."

Sometimes, it was _really_ hard not to do a victory jig.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, at long last, long after everyone had given up hope.

Nicholas St. North stood impatiently outside one of the many entrances to Bunnymund's warren, sweltering in his heavy coat as he waited. He could have easily used one of his enchanted snow globes to get in -- and after nearly an hour stuck out in the heat, staring up at the waning moon and star filled sky, it was _very_ tempting -- but if there was one thing North had learned in his long life, it was that revenge only begot revenge. He had pushed too hard, and the Pookas had pushed back. It was a clever trick, and nothing had been hurt but North's pride.

Still, there was Guardian Business to be done, no matter how awkward things were between North and the Easter Bunny.

Perhaps it would have been easier to send Tooth or the Sandman to fetch Bunny, but North wanted things settled between them. Better now than later, when there might be an actual _emergency_.

The egg shaped stone door slid to the side, revealing one of the dark, moss coated tunnels that lead to the heart of the warren. No one was there to greet him, but North knew Bunny had a dozen different ways to open the doors of the warren without coming near them. North strode forward confidently, refusing to look back at the sound of stone scraping over stone; the door had shut behind him. Instead, he kept moving forward until he emerged into half-light of the warren at night.

The sentinel eggs ringing the tunnel were barely more than dark shapes to North's eyes, and while Bunny was still absent, there was a distinctly Pooka-shaped creature crouched amongst them. Dark fur rippled over muscle as the Pooka reached for something on the ground with one grey skinned hand, the other five either folded together or resting one one of his thick, scaly thighs. His eyes never left North's. Sharp claws scored the rind of a pomegranate, and the fruit came apart with a hollow crack, allowing the Pooka to pluck a few ripe red seeds from the pale flesh. "Mr. Bunnymund's asleep. I've sent Sage to wake him... if you don't mind waiting here, Mr. North?"

Seeds disappeared into the Pooka's mouth, one at a time, through a carefully orchestrated series of movements involving all six hands holding, peeling, and plucking without any hesitation. It was fascinating to watch.

North kept his own hands at his sides, letting his eyes scan the darkness for anyone else who might have been watching. Was, perhaps, that shadow moving independent of any source? Were those eyes over there?

Was someone behind him giggling?

"Would you care for a pomegranate, Mr. North?"

North's attention jerked back to the creature crouched in front of him, another round red fruit held in his uppermost right hand.

"Yes, thank you." North strode forward confidently and took the pomegranate without breaking eye contact. _You don't scare **me** , lad. I've stared down Pitch Black, and next to him you are just a fluffy bunny._ "You have everything you need now, I trust?"

The grin the Pooka gave North was positively cheeky. "Oh yes, we're well supplied thanks to you. I shall have to remember to send you a fruit basket to thank you."

North grunted, stepping back before he slowly pulled the dagger from his boot to cut his fruit open. He was careful to make no sudden movements, but the odd spines on the creature's back rose in obvious alarm before quickly settling back. "Was a good trick."

"Really? I thought it was spiteful and mean-spirited... and while I cannot speak for Mr. Bunnymund, not entirely out of character for our other elder. And not wholly undeserved... but perhaps not the most graceful method of handling the matter."

The seeds exploded tartly on North's tongue as he began to eat, accepting the tentative peace offering for what it was. "Perhaps," he agreed. "You were not with the raiding party... ah...?" He would have remembered the lad, no matter how distracted he had been.

The Pooka settled back on his haunches, tail curling around his feet. "Basil Makepeace -- _don't laugh_." One wicked claw pointed at North as he stifled a chortle. " _Someone_ had to keep the littles out of trouble while everyone else was off playing bandit."

"Oi, you lot! Off with you!" The ever dulcet tones of E. Aster Bunnymund cut through the night, sending the watching shadows scattering to the far reaches of the warren. Basil remained unmoved as he continued his efforts to disassemble the fruit in his hands. Bunny loped into the circle of sentinel eggs, looking cranky but, to North's mild surprise, surprisingly well groomed for this time of the year. In all the years he'd known Bunny, the Pooka had always looked his most ragged in the spring months after Easter, when he was most prone to shedding. He'd always done what he could about it, but there was only so much one could do without help, and the Pooka had always loathed asking for any.

Jack Frost came trailing after, blue hoodie covered in soft gray hairs. He met North's gaze levelly, as if daring the old spirit to say something about it.

"Something up?" Bunnymund asked with a decidedly pointed look. _Why are you here bothering me when I'm trying to sleep?_

North held up a hand, thumb and pointer finger close together. "Small problem. Someone trying to play _Hades and Persephone_..." He looked at the pomegranate in his other hand and grinned before offering the half-eaten fruit to Bunny. "Could use a hand-"

"Before someone else decides to step in as Demeter." Bunny took the offering, devouring the seeds with gusto. He turned to Basil and announced, "Going out for a bit. I'll be back soon."

"Do I even _wanna_ know what anything you guys said even means?" Jack asked with a woebegone look.

Bunny expression clearly made Jack wish that he'd kept his mouth shut. "There's more to being a Guardian than snowballs and fun times," he purred. "I think it's about time you got a little on the job experience!"

North followed behind the Pooka and the winter spirit, casting one last glance over his shoulder as they left. Basil remained where he was, watching North right back with a twinkle in his eye.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Small problem my _entire_ a-" Bunnymund stopped himself as he emerged from the tunnel, noticing little Rosemary wiggling her loose tooth with her tongue. She watched him thoughtfully, and Bunnymund bit back another curse while he forced a smile. She picked a bit of clover growing up amongst the grass and chewed it thoughtfully as a noise that had haunted Bunnymund's dreams on more than one occasion came echoing down the tunnel before it could close. Bunnymund turned in time to see the brightly colored little goblin run for the tall grass, the bell at the end of his hat chiming merrily.

" _Bastard!_ " He was gonna tie the little pest up in a sack full of rocks and dump it in the river! North would never miss it-

The elf was surprisingly fast, but it in no way blended in with the grass, and even in the few moments Bunnymund lost sight of the little beast, he could still hear that blasted bell. "Come back here, y' little-!"

The brightly dyed elf was apparently somewhat smarter than his pointy headed brethren, diving into the dye river and letting it carry him swiftly away from Bunnymund. He had the audacity to _wave_ at Bunnymund as he floated away, bobbing like a damn cork.

"Bastard!" Rosemary squealed cheerfully, waving back at the elf.

Bunnymund could feel the headache forming behind his eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

"Bastard! Bastard Bastard Bastard _Bastard!_ " Rosemary sang as she hopped around Bunnymund, clearly as delighted with her new word as Bunnymund was horrified. The sun was well on the way to rising, lighting the warren as the kits emerged from their slumber or slouched their way to their nests after a long night on guard duty. Rue was already running a few unfortunate souls through pike drills, but those trails off as eyes turned towards Rosemary and Bunnymund.

"Bastard!"

There were splashes of brilliant color on the grass; the damn elf had come ashore. "Anyone spot a pointy-headed-"

"Bastard!"

"-thank you, sweetheart... One of North's elves is loose in the warren! I want the little-"

"Baaastard!"

"Stop that." Bunnymund picked Rosemary up, resting her on his hip. "Shh. I want the _pest_ caught and sent back to North!"

"It's just an elf," Narcissus protested -- too quickly for Bunnymund's taste. The young buck already had a pile of sewing laid out beside his favorite spot on the riverbank, and it looked like he'd been there for a while. "How much trouble could he really be?"

The color-trail ended well before it reached the half finished cloaks that had been Narcissus's project since the raid on North's workshop, but there was something decidedly suspicious about the way they were piled, and in the way Narcissus was oh so carefully moving between Bunnymund and the clothes.

"Kid, you got _no_ idea."

Was that-?

Yes. The gentle time of a tiny silver bell, like the ones that dangled from the ends of the whatever-the-hell-it-is the elves all wore.

"Bastard!"

"Who could have been teaching you such language?" Rue purred, finally abandoning the half hearted pike drills in favor of a game of Torment Bunnymund, Rowan scurrying after her. The kid covered his mouth to smother a giggle, blue eyes dancing with merriment. Rosemary squirmed free of Bunnymund and latched on to Rowan, burying her face in the russet fur of his chest with a giggle of her own. "You've fallen in with a bad crowd, my girl."

"How 'bout we focus on the pointy headed pest, _then_ we worry about the ankle biter?" Bunnymund asked through gritted teeth. The unfinished cloaks _moved_ , and Narcissus's eyes slid towards the sound of shifting fabrib and the tinkle of the silver bell.

"Sebastian's not a pest!"

 _I will not yell,_ Bunnymund reminded himself, digging his thumbs into the sides of his nose in an effort to fight off the slowly growing headache. " _Sebastian_?"

Narcissus shrank in on himself and looked anywhere but at Bunnymund. Rue let out a soft, nasty chuckle. "He looks like a Sebastian."

"Well, _Sebastian_ needs to go home," Bunnymund insisted, trying to ignore the heartbreak on the young buck's face.

The pastel dyed elf finally burst from the sewing, running straight into Narcissus's arms. He half disappeared into the long fur as he glared at Bunnymund with mad amber eyes. "But he's so fantastic! Just look at him!"

"Didn't that thing follow us home from the workshop?" Rue noted. "Before we sent everything back?" At least she didn't look any more enthused about the little beast than Bunnymund felt. "Will North be upset if he notices Sebastian's gone?"

Bunnymund snorted. "Won't even notice."

"All the more reason for him to stay!" Rowen joined Narcissus, Rosemary balanced on his shoulders and clinging to his head. All three turned big, hope-filled eyes on Bunnymund and Rue.

"I really do need an assistant."

"He's different, like us!"

The elf made a soft, whining noise as he tried to imitate the kits' expressions.

Bunnymund watched whatever resolve Rue might have had crumble, and looked desperately for Basil. For once, he _wasn't_ lurking about -- and the great bastard likely would have been in favor of keeping the elf _anyway_.

 _I'm too tired for this._ "That drongo makes even a _little_ trouble, he goes right back to North. He's _your_ responsibility, I don't wanna even _see_ him. Understood?"

Cries of victory spread amongst the kits who had gathered to watch the unfolding drama, but off by Rue's ear piercing whistled. "That's enough, back to work, back to work! You! Why aren't you practicing with that pike? Do I _really_ have to sit there and hold your hand? _Bastards_."

Rosemary let out a joyful cry, clutching Rowan's ears to help her keep her balance. "Bastard!"

Bunnymund threw his hands up, uttering an oath under his breath as he slouched off to see if Bella didn't have something for treating elf-induced headaches.


	18. Chapter 18

Rue stretched her legs out in front of her, slowly chewing a handful of alfalfa. "I don't like it."

"You don't like _anything_." Jack perched on top of his staff, trying to peer at the ceramic plate Basil was painting. Basil had shed his cloak and was taking advantage of his hands to wield three paintbrushes at once while the spines that ran down his back rose and fell gently with each breath. Bunnymund sipped from the headache remedy Bella had cheerfully provided him. It tasted like chalk, but at least the pain was receding -- no thanks to Rue and Jack.

"It's a potential breach of security."

"They're _kids_." Jack lept down, sweeping his staff into his hands as he began to pace.

"Secrecy has _always_ kept us safe, Jack! The fewer people who know where we are, the safer we'll be."

"The ankle biters aren't gonna go blabbing secrets," Bunnymund said, just barely keeping himself from snapping. "Even if they did, no one would believe it."

"They wouldn't have to say a word for Pitch to find out. Not one's dreams are safe, not even your -- what is it? Believers?" Jack nodded, and Rue chewed at her alfalfa viciously for a few moments. "It's a big risk."

"We _beat_ Pitch," Bunnymund insisted.

"You're safe from him now," Jack chimed in.

Basil and Rue exchanged a look - Basil quickly looked down at his plate, and Rue picked at the grass at her side. "Like the fearlings were never coming back, after the Golden General locked them away?" Basil's tone was laced with gentile censure. "I'm not saying I agree with Rue on this, but we can't let our guard down just because Pitch isn't active at the moment." He put the plate aside carefully.

Jack ran his tongue over his teeth, flopping bonelessly beside Bunnymund. "You can't just be _afraid_ all the time. They're good kids. Good _friends_. And _they_ helped beat Pitch." He sat up suddenly, pulling his legs up to his chest as his eyes bored into Rue's.

She squirmed under Jack's gaze, expression tight. "Don't give me that look."

The serious expression disappeared from Jack's face as swiftly as it had come, replaced with smiling innocence when he turned to Bunnymund. "Was I giving a look?"

Bunnymund shrugged noncommittally, unwilling to comment, but Basil was more than willing to supply an answer. "Uh-huh. Keep it up, it's working."

"Does my opinion just not matter anymore?"

"Welcome to my world," Bunnymund groused as he finished his medicine. "They won't be any worse than the elf, _and_ they'll go home after."

"Basil-?" Rue was desperate now.

"I trust Jack and Mr. Bunnymund's judgement."

Rue rocketed to her feet with a disgusted grunt. "It'll all end in tears," she warned.

"Life is risk," Jack retorted. "Relax, you'll love 'em."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sophie went tumbling down the hole in the ground with a gleeful shriek. Jamie rushed after her, his mother's instructions to look after his little sister echoing in his ears. He could hear Pippa's exasperated cry of "Jamie!" behind him as Jack shepherded the others through the tunnel, but there was still Sophie to be caught before she broke her arm -- _again_.

The moment they hit the warren, the memory of Sophie's tumble off the swings that had resulted in six weeks of her in a cast and Mom delivering the big lecture about how Jamie needed to look out for her was driven from his head.

Jack's stories didn't do it justice. It was more than just tunnels and plants and things shaped like eggs -- it was _alive_ , a riot of colorful plants and insects thriving in the light. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to take it all in all at once; he knew from the awed gasps behind him that it was hitting the others the same way.

They'd been expecting something like a really big park, or the Botanical Gardens from last year's school trip -- both of which paled in comparison to the reality stretching out before them.

"Bunny! Hop hop!" Sophie ran straight to the Easter Bunny, who welcomed her with open arms.

"There's my favorite ankle biter!" he announced, scooping Sophie up, much to her delight.

Jack nudged Jamie's shoulder, grinning. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Way cool," Jamie agreed, still trying to take it all in.

The first Pooka he noticed was sitting in the tree rooted on top of one of Bunny's sentinel eggs, one leg swinging slowly back and forth. The only spot of color were a pair of bright blue eyes -- everything else was black fur against dark brown wood.

"Is that the princess?" Cupcake whispered, coming to Jack's side. Black ears twitched, and Jack let out a chuckle that was almost nervous as those narrowed eyes landed on him. Not that Cupcake cared; she'd been promised a Rabbit Princess, and she was gonna see one.

Jamie didn't think she looked very much like a princess, but he wasn't sure she looked that much like a _she_ either.

Jack had gone to great lengths to explain that the Pookas were very shy, and needed to be treated carefully, just like with Abby when Mom had first brought her home. Out of the corner of his eye, Jamie could see others watching from their hiding places, emerging slowly--

Not unlike Abby during the first few days.

"C'mon, ya gumbies," Bunny called. "Nothing here to be scared off. Come say hello."

A tiny Pooka, almost as small as Bunny had been before they'd beaten Pitch, sidled up to the Easter Bunny to peer up at Sophie, and was saved from having one of those long, cream colored ears pulled by Bunny shifting Sophie up onto his shoulders. Another little Pooka, bigger than the other and covered in bright red fur, slid down from behind Rue -- Jamie was almost certain the Pooka in the tree was the Princess Rue Jack had been telling them about for months -- landing awkwardly as the base of the sentinel.

"Don't worry," Jack announced lightly, "no one bites. Except Sage, but he's cute, so we forgive him."

Jamie had _so_ many questions he wanted to ask, and he had no idea where to even _start_.

"Don't you get cold with so little hair?" the red Pooka asked.

"Sometimes, but Mom always makes me dress warm."

It was like the dam broke. Questions filled the air on both sides as Pookas began to crowd in, just as curious about Jamie and his friends as they were about the rabbit people. It wasn't long before Monty was letting them pass his glasses around while Jamie fielded questions and even managed to get a few of his own in. Caleb managed to get himself piled on by a few Pookas while his brother laughed until he too was pulled into the wrestling match.

Pippa sniffed, trying to pretend that she was more interested in the butterflies flitting past, but she soon joined Cupcake in studying the so-called princess from afar until a really _shaggy_ Pooka began quizzing them about their clothes.

Jamie also didn't miss the pleased look on Jack's face as he joined Bunny and Sophie.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, at long last, long after everyone had given up hope....

Rue was very gentle, very careful about separating Jack from the group. Even _knowing_ that she was doing it, he didn’t dare try to escape -- not with all the kids watching. She draped an arm oh-so-casually around Jack’s shoulders during a game of Hide and Seek, pulling him past the bead curtain and into the room she and Rowan had claimed for themselves. Dozens of schematics were tacked to the walls, and one of Basil’s torn cloaks was draped over the nest, half the rents already stitched closed. Jack didn’t really have time to appreciate all the homey little touches, as Rue was pushing him against the wall with a dangerous expression.

“I’m gonna kill you!”

Jack spread his hands and tried to make himself look as small and cute as possible. “C’mon, Princess. It’s not that bad.”

“Oh no no no, _that_ stops right now!” She squeeze his shoulder, waving a finger in front of his face. “You’re gonna go back out there, and you’re gonna explain to those girls that you’re just joking when you tell those stories, and you’re gonna get them to _stop_ asking me where my bloody crown is-”

Jack was the picture of wounded innocence as he made calf eyes at Rue. “How am I supposed to do that if I’m dead?” Wisely, he neglected to mention that he’d been teaching Pippa and Cupcake how to make flower crowns, and when he’d last seen the girls, they’d been hard at work denuding Bunny’s flowers. Bunny would forgive them eventually, and it was totally gonna be worth it.

“Hate. You.”

“Aw, you’re so cute when you’re mad.” Jack patted her cheek with a grin, unable to resist tempting fate.

“I’ll make you suffer for this, you icy bastard.”

Jack slipped out beneath Rue’s arm. “You _could_ just hide somewhere and play with your toys until they’re gone.”

Rue crossed her arms, turning her death glare on the wall. “No,” she admitted, “I can’t. Basil hid my tools.”

Someday, Jack needed to remember to get Basil a fruit basket. “Did he? How _awful_.”

The death glare came back around in all it’s frustrated glory. The only thing that saved Jack from having his ear twisted off as Rue lunged at him was Jamie and Rowan tumbling into the room, a tangle of pre-adolescent limbs, fur, and delighted giggles. Rowan let out a disappointed groan when he realized that their brilliant hiding place was already taken, but Jamie shushed him. “Monty’s coming.”

Rue made a great show of rolling her eyes, helping Rowan and Jamie squirm into the nest and covering them with Basil’s cloak before tucking herself in beside the spare bedding. With her legs drawn up to her chest and her eyes shut, she was just another shadow.

That left Jack to find his own place to hide while Monty stumble down the tunnel, softly calling, “Come out, come out, wherever you are...”

Jamie and Rowan couldn’t stop themselves from giggling and squirming, and Jack cast about for somewhere to hide himself. Finally, he settled on the ceiling, letting the wind blow him upwards moments before Monty pushed the bead curtain aside. The blonde shivered in the suddenly chilly air, but he was more interested in the squirming lumps right in front of him than investigating the unnatural chill.

People, Jack had good reason to know, _never_ looked up.

Monty crept forward, nowhere near as stealthy as he thought he was. His hand just brushed the cloak when Jamie and Rowan burst from cover, shrieking with glee as they ran past Monty and back out into the warren.

“You get back here!” Monty chased after them, glasses threatening to slide off his nose as he ran.

Jack dropped back to the earthen floor, and Rue emerged from her nook, brushing dried grass from her fur. “Rowan’s enjoying himself.”

Rue growled something uncharitable about easily entertained kits and shit disturbing spirits.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rosemary was cheerfully showing off her loose milk tooth, wiggling it back and forth with her tongue, much to Sophie’s delight. Bunnymund found himself keeper of the littlest ones, if only because Sophie refused to be parted from him, and Rosemary fussed when away from her new favorite playmate. For his part, Bunnymund didn’t mind. This had always been his favorite part of being around children, be they humans or kits -- watching the youngest ones explore the world around them, safe and happy.

A butterfly fluttered past, and the two girls went chasing after it under his watchful eye.

“Headache better, Mr. Bunnymund?” Bella asked, slowly edging her way into view, playing with a flask that undoubtedly contained one of her concoctions. Unlike Jack’s believers, the kits were always careful to make sure they’d been seen before approaching. More than once, Bunnymund had accidentally come up behind one of the kits without warning and nearly gotten hit for his trouble.

Bunnymund patted the grass beside him in an invitation. “Entirely cured, pet.”

The doe sat beside him, still fiddling with the flask. “Are there visitors here often? I know we’ve disrupted your life horribly-” Her ears lay flat against her skull, pink little nose twitching while she grimaced apologetically.

“Maybe so,” Bunnymund admitted, knowing Bella wouldn’t appreciate if he used a comforting lie rather than the truth, “but I’d rather have the lot of you here than not.” Sophie tripped over her own feet, but she got back up without any fuss. “To answer your question... no. I keep myself to myself, outside of Guardian business.”

“Being a Guardian sounds terribly exciting,” Bella sighed, trying to sound casual despite the way she kept glancing at him. Outwardly, Bunnymund pretended not to notice; inwardly, he groaned. It might have been centuries since his days as a much lauded hero to the Pookas, but he knew a star struck crush when he saw one. All those exciting tales of daring do Jack insisted on telling would be enough to turn any girl’s head.

“Only when it all goes wrong,” he told her truthfully. “Most of my job’s prep work, with a big push right before Easter. Get called out to deal with problems sometimes, but not that often.”

“Problems like-” Bella made a warding sign, her fur standing up briefly as she checked the shadows, like someone might be watching out of them.

“Usually nothing so bad. Nothing we can’t handle.” Bunnymund reassured her. “Like I said, it’s mostly just prep work. Making sure the garden’s in good order, coming up with new designs for the googies... Dull, quiet work by myself.”

“That sounds terribly lonely.”

Damn and double damn. Was there _anything_ worse than someone trying to ‘save’ you from your solitude? “Not really. See people often as I like.”

Bella shifted her weight, locking her eyes on the flask. “Still, new faces are nice. Seeing the same people day after day, _only_ them, _never_ seeing anything new-” She frowned, eyes distant. “I really should be getting this to Hazel,” she went on softly, getting back to her feet. Bunnymund grunted and turned his full attention back to the girls.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Little further,” Jack told the egg sentinels as they slowly inched apart, a white sheet stretching between them. Hyacinth and Sage balanced on top of the stone eggs, keeping the sheet from sliding off while Jamie and Claude argued over where they should put the light. Twilight was beginning to descend on the warren, and with it came the knowledge that the humans would have to return home soon. But there was still time for one last game, one more story-

“There! Perfect! Now, nobody move...” A thin coat of ice froze the sheet to the stone, frost coating the moss that clung to each egg. “Okay, who’s ready for a story?”

This, unsurprisingly, was met with cheers. Sophie and Rosemary did their best to sit on top of each other, the flower crowns Cupcake had labored over for so long already shedding blooms from their rough and tumble play. Bunnymund tried not to think of his patches of lavender, sacrificed for the sake of the crowns that now adorned so many heads. The prettiest of the lot -- festooned with pink ribbons gotten from Narcissus and roses from Bunnymund’s garden -- sat atop Rue’s dark head, despite her efforts to explain that she _wasn’t_ a princess, she was an Elder, and really that was so much better than a system of governance dependant on genetics-

Cupcake and Pippa had smiled, nodded, and continued to call Rue ‘Your Highness’ and ‘Princess’. Rue bore this with all the grace of a well trained bulldog forced into a sweater. No doubt as soon as the children were gone, the crown would find itself tossed into the trash. Or possibly used to throttle Jack, since he couldn’t seem to stop smirking every time he laid eyes on it.

From where he sat, Bunnymund could see Jack posing dramatically, his shadow a crisp outline against the sheet and ever so slightly larger than life. “Once upon a time,” he began, “there was a brave little winter spirit named Jack Frost.” He put both hands on his hips and turns his head, presenting the perfect silhouette of a born troublemaker. Bunnymund’s fingers itched for paper and charcoal to capture it -- just a few quick lines would have reproduced the curve of his brow, the point of his nose, and the stubborn thrust of his chin.

_Later,_ he thought, gently separating the girls. There would be time enough to fill his sketch books with every detail that had caught his eye once the day was finally done.

“Now, most people ignored Jack Frost, dismissing him as a no good troublemaker who just froze water pipes and nipped noses, but what _they_ didn’t know was that Jack was secretly the champion of the Rabbit Princess-”

Someone had made an exaggerated crown out of paper, and one of the younger girls -- Thyme, Bunnymund thought -- had been talked into playing the part of the Princess. Jack bowed with an exaggerated flourish while the ‘princess’ swooned, getting a laugh from the crowd.

“-who charged brave, humble Jack with defending her people against the evil Nightmare King and his fearling armies!”

Bunnymund knew that the Pitch puppet was nothing more than an old broom and a few sticks tied together and draped with cloth from Narcissus’s rag bag, controlled by Big Elm, but when shown only in shadow, it looked considerably more impressive. Or maybe that was just the power of a story. The ‘princess’ cowered behind Jack as he beat the Pitch puppet back, only to be attacked by a fearling. Bunnymund’s guts twisted themselves into knots in spite of himself; that was _no_ shadow puppet against the white sheet -- the thin, awful shade that battled Jack _was_ the shadow of a fearling, rather than the strapping young buck he knew was on the other side of the sheet.

No one talked about the shadows, much the same way no one talked about Basil, Hazel, and the rest of the afflicted Pookas. Not Sorrel with his fearling shade, not Sage with the shadow that never fell where it should have in the light, or the kits with too _many_ shadows, or the ones like Rue who had none at all.

Still, it added a certain thrill to Jack’s story, to see him triumph over the fearling. It certainly excited little Rosemary enough that she grabbed Sophie tightly, refusing to let go until the girl shook her off and sent her tumbling face first into the ground. There was a moment of absolute, perfect silence. Then Rosemary opened her mouth to let loose a wail that would have done a banshee proud. That set Sophie off

Bella scooped the kit up immediately while Bunnymund tried to calm Sophie, making a great fuss over her as she tried to soothe the little one’s tears. “I think the nippers are a wee bit overtired. Shh, shh sweetling, you’re alright...”

The shadow players emerged from behind the sheet, and Jack stooped to pick something up from the ground. He held a tiny white milk tooth up to the light of the lamp, turning it this way and that. “Looks like someone’s getting a visit from the Tooth Fairy.”


	20. Chapter 20

In the end, it was Toothiana who provided the solution to the dilemma of Rosemary’s lost tooth.

“I used to make a big show of taking the teeth, at first.” She’d smiled wistfully, half lost in a distant memory. “I’d make sure the children saw me -- it wasn’t until later that I had to hide.” Her smile had fallen then, and Baby Tooth chirruped mournfully, commiserating with her queen. “I understand why your Pookas work so hard to stay hidden, and why they’re so afraid of being found-”

Jack’s heart had hurt for the Tooth Fairy; he didn’t have to imagine _why_ Toothiana had gone into hiding, eventually retreating so far that she hadn’t been in the field for longer than he’d been alive. Three hundred years of just watching the human race had taught him just how awful they could be. There had been times when he’d even been _glad_ to go unseen by them.

There had been only a token resistance, and that itself had mostly been over Tooth’s one real requirement; she wanted the rest of the Guardians there, including North. But finally, good sense and the littlest Pooka’s desire to meet the Queen from Jack’s tales won out.

The whole colony had immediately gone into overdrive, cleaning and preparing -- Bella was planning a proper feast, and Narcissus was bound and determined to make the whole colony look like civilized sentient beings for the first time in a century. Kits were drafted to sew, clean, and cook in preparation for the big day. Rosemary basked in the attention, while the three Elders mostly kept their distance. Rue continued to drill and tinker, Basil loomed and did whatever it was he did when he wasn’t gently mocking everyone, and Bunnymund retreated to his art, reminding people that he _did_ have a job to do.

And Jack? Jack conspired to remind everyone that they needed to have _fun_ with this. Rowan was his greatest ally in the fight for fun, able to get places where Jack would be noticed and stopped. Only Bunnymund and his sketchbooks were spared unseasonable snow and surprise slush balls. The Easter Bunny needed his time alone, and there were so many more deserving targets.

“You don’t want to look like a _complete_ ragamuffin-” Narcissus whined, waving a bolt of cloth the color of the winter sky at Jack. The youngest Guardian snatched the bolt away, tossing it to Rowan, who helpfully raced off into the bowels of the Warren. “You could at least _pretend_ to be civilized. Just for a few minutes.”

“Just chill,” Jack chuckled, freezing Narcissus’s feet to the ground.

His eyes narrowed, and his mouth set into a disapproving line. “Puns are the _lowest_ form of humor, you know.”

“Isn’t it a little late to be worried about how I’m dressed?” Jack pointed out, tweaking the toggles on Narcissus’s tunic before swiftly untying the sash around his waist. Narcissus swatted him away, fumbling with the complicated knot Jack had undone.

“I could whip up a _something_ \-- nothing really nice, but at least you’d be fit for company.”

“Are you calling me _unfit_ for company?” Jack asked with mock hurt, pressing a hand to his chest while he pouted. Narcissus gave Jack a critical once-over, mirrored by his colorful elf minion.

“We-ell...”

The low groans of the of the sentinels echoed through the warren, and Narcissus checked his outfit once more, quietly cursing as he tried to ride the fabric of the long red hairs that were already starting to cling to it. “Too late,” Jack announced unnecessarily.

Narcissus bolted off, the elf hot on his heels. Jack rested his staff across his shoulders and followed at a more sedate pace, taking the time to enjoy the riot of color and glorious chaos around him. The whole warren was coming together, having _fun_. Rosemary was delighted to be the center of all the attention in her pretty new frock and her crown of flowers. Only she and the three Elders wore green; Basil had tried to explain the significance of the color in Pooka culture while everything was being thrown together, but had given up after the second time Jack had frozen the kiln he was constructing, chasing him away with the promise of using Jack as kindling.

He could see North, Tooth, and Sandy waiting in the mouth of one of the tunnels, ready to make their grand entrance. Basil, Rue, and Bunnymund were arrayed around Rosemary, Basil in his cloak while the other two wore sashes draped over their shoulders and around their hips.

Later, Jack was going to make sure to point out to them both that they’d even tied the knots the same way. He swung by the group to ruffle Rosemary’s ears before joining his fellow Guardians, only to have Bunnymund grab him by the back of his hoodie.

“Honorary Elder trumps Guardian,” Rue announced, draping a matching sash over Jack’s head, straightening it quickly before making a futile attempt to make his hair lay flat. Bunnymund swatted her paw away before licking his thumb and rubbing a smudge off Jack’s cheek.

“Oh, ack! Leggo!” Jack squirmed away, rubbing at his cheek, “Ew, rabbit spit!”

Rowan popped briefly into view, still carrying the blue cloth, before taking his place amongst the others. As close as he was, Jack could feel Rue relax at the sight of her brother, and when Bunnymund quietly asked if they were ready, she nodded.

“Lets get this over with.”

Jack had to hand it to her, Tooth knew how to put on a show. She came in at a slow hover, flanked by North and the Sandman, giving the kits plenty of time to have a good, long gawk. It wasn’t the kind of outright ostentatious display North would have put on, but there was a feeling of _wonder_ in the air anyway.

Moving in to the warren, raiding North’s workshop, those had all been _work_. Today, they could just _enjoy_.

Bunnymund stepped forward, bowing with great formality to his fellow Guardians. “On behalf of the warren, we are pleased to welcome Queen Toothiana, Guardian of Memory, and present to her the first Pooka tooth to be collected.”

“We are pleased and honored to be allowed to collect this tooth, the first of what we hope to be many,” the fairy replied with equal formality as she landed, kneeling in front of Rosemary. The youngest kit stared at her with wide eyes, and needed no encouragement to inch forward, clutching the tooth she’d lost tightly.

“Pretty...”

Tooth preened, her lovely white smile widening. At least this time, she didn’t break out the teeth with blood and gums still on. Instead, she produced one of the lovely enameled boxes that filled the Tooth Palace. Rosemary’s face had been painted on one end, and the kit was immediately as fascinated with it as she had been with the Tooth Fairy. It opened at Tooth’s touch as she explained, “It is my sworn duty to protect the most precious memories of childhood, so that even in the darkest of times, they can help to light your way.” She held the box out to Rosemary. “There could be no greater honor for me than for you to allow me to guard your most treasured memories.”

Rosemary peered into the box, still clinging to her tooth. There was a tense moment when it looked like someone was going to have to remind the kit of what she needed to do, but before anyone could speak, she very slowly took Tooth’s hand and turned it palm upward, placing the tooth there and closing the fairy’s fingers around it.

Tooth peered at her newest treasure with undisguised glee. “Oh, isn’t this just _perfect_?” she cooed, thrusting the tooth in North’s face so he could revel in the beauty of the milk tooth. North nodded in agreement, wrapping one of his huge hands around the fairy’s and gently pushing it away. It fit perfectly within the box, and the whole warren seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Everything had _actually_ managed to go off without a hitch.

“Party now?” Rosemary whispered to Bunnymund, making him laugh.

 

It was going well.

It was _all_ going so well.

And that was when it all went wrong.

It started with Jack spreading ice across the grass, leading to Sandy and Bunnymund being tipped into the dye river when the frost spirit and a tangle of kits crashed into them. The Sandman came up laughing silently, but Bunnymund bobbed to the surface in a rage, frantically yanking off his sash to try and retrieve the little sketchbook he’d tucked in there. It dripped with dye as he held it up between his fingers, and the thin pages tore away in sodden clumps when he opened it. Everything that had been on them was obscured with streaks vibrant purple and pastel blue.

Six months of work. Not just his sketches, but all those little notes he’d made to himself, planting schedules, new egg designs -- all _gone_ , washed away because Jack Frost could _never_ pass up the chance to see someone slip and fall.

Bunnymund rocketed out of the river, ruined sketchbook clutched tightly in his fist. All he could hear was the roar of blood in his ears, and all he could see was Jack’s bloodless face as he yanked him close, nails ripping through the sash. He didn’t even realize he was yelling until he stopped, his throat raw. Tooth was holding on to Bunnymund’s arm, and Jack’s chest was rising and falling swiftly. All eyes were on them, and Bunnymund slowly became aware of how _cold_ the air around him had become.

A blast of arctic air nearly knocked Bunnymund off his feet as the sash ripped away completely, and it carried Jack away, leaving a trail of dead leaves and snowflakes in his wake.

“Jack!”


	21. Chapter 21

The shunning began almost immediately, and Bunnymund found himself forcibly reminded that solitude was only pleasant when a being _chose_ it. And it was at least tolerable when there were no other options, but _now_ … 

Now, not even _Sorrel_ could be enticed into speaking to him, and until that moment the young buck had always seemed to delight in flouting Rue’s commands.

Bunnymund had always thought himself a hardy, independent soul, with no _real_ need for companionship of any sort. Even his desire for the belief of the children of his adopted world wasn’t for the sake of companionship – how _long_ had it been since he’d actually spoken to a child before Jack Frost had come into the picture? – but because the power of their belief aided him as a Guardian. As a young buck, he’d often gone in search of distant, isolated places to claim for his own, just to escape from the overcrowded warren of his birth.

Now, after a week of being ignored, he was ready to start screaming bloody murder just to get someone to acknowledge his existence. He was _almost_ tempted to retreat to Toothiana’s palace for a few minutes of conversation, but that would mean explaining what had happened. North’s workshop would be no better, especially not with Christmas production switching into high gear… not to mention, North would want to meddle in what was basically a matter for the colony. He didn’t even consider the Sandman; Bunnymund needed _talk_ and _noise_ , not the gentle susurrus of the dream sand.

No, Bunnymund knew that going to his fellow Guardians would only be putting off the inevitable, in any case. It was time to find where Jack had taken himself off to and talk him into popping back, at least for long enough to assure the youngest kits that he hadn’t left them forever… maybe even long enough to convince the others that his blow up hadn’t been so terrible as they seemed to think. After all, he’d managed to work with North for _centuries_ while barely tolerating the man! Surely he and Jack could manage _something_.

It didn’t take very long at all for Bunnymund to realize that unless the nose nipper was kicking up a fuss, Jack Frost was nearly impossible to find by Bunnymund’s usual means.

For a while, he staked out Burgess in hopes that Jack would return to his old, familiar haunts and the comfort of his first believer, but the town received not even an unseasonable breeze, and Jamie and his friends went through their days without any contact from the frosty spirit. Soon, Bunnymund moved on, following unusual weather patterns, hunting through cold and craggy peaks, his search growing increasingly desperate.

He was almost tempted to turn to his fellow Guardians, not for companionship, but for intel. Surely _one_ of Toothiana’s fairies had spotted Jack on their rounds. Maybe the boy had even been hiding out with Sandy, or lurking in the bowels of North’s workshop, tormenting the yetis. Maybe one of them would even intervene on his behalf.

But to Bunnymund, that felt like admitting defeat, admitting that he couldn’t deal with Jack without help, that that stung his pride.

And all the while, there was a tiny sliver of guilt that stabbed at him every day that his hunt turned up nothing.

_He saved you, made Jamie believe when no one else did._

_He saved the Pooka._

_He’s **barely** three hundred years old, just a kit! Where do you get off yelling at him for some silly little mistake?_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There was a fairy zipping around the Warren, much to Rue’s mounting frustration. It had latched onto Narcissus’ pet rodent the moment it snuck it’s way past the Warren’s defenses (including the sleeping Hyacinth, who had shortly thereafter found himself assigned compost duty until Rue’s temper cooled), and the pair had been wreaking havoc since.

“They aren’t ‘wreaking havoc’,” Basil countered, turning an eggshell thin bowl with one hand as he applied a coating of glaze to the inside with another. A third hand toyed with a pot of paint, while the fourth picked at a tiny splinter in his work table. The last two hands rested on his thighs, their claws sometimes picking at the scales on his legs in time to some internal beat. “They’re having _fun_. Something that’s been in short supply around here of late.”

Rue grunted, focusing her attention on the tear in Basil’s cloak. “Well, we both know who’s to blame for _that_.”

“Do we?”

Rue jabbed the needle through the heavy wool more forcefully than necessary. “ _Yes_. And I don’t care for your tone.”

“Of course, Elder. You’re absolutely right,” he said mildly. “Mr. Bunnymund’s stubborn pride and bad temper lead to his own downfall, and to Jack taking his leave of us.”

“ _Basil-_ ”

“It’s just…” Basil placed the bowl carefully on a tray, “in my old clan, we never demanded punishment beyond repentance.”

The only response he got was a grunt, accompanied by more furious sewing.

“And he has been out there…”

“I am aware,” Rue hissed, the needle jabbing into her palm. She pulled it out with a wince, glaring at the tiny bead of dark blood as if it had personally offended her.

“He’s _looking_ -“

“But not _finding_.”

“Unlike you?”

Rue made a careful knot before biting through the thread. “I wouldn’t even know where to start looking,” she admitted softly. “He’s always come back to us on his own before.”

Basil turned on his stool, stretching all his arms as high as they could go with a soft groan. “I seem to recall Mistress Toothiana and her helpers being very fond of our Jack. And there is Jack’s… what did he call it? Believer. Jamie. “

Rue fingered the mended tear, checking to see that it wouldn’t come apart again quickly. “You’d think I’d be better at this, after all this time.”

“We all have our special skills.” He began cleaning his brush, apparently giving the task his full attention. “Yours don’t run towards repair… unless we’re speaking of clockworks, at which you are undoubtedly a master,” he amended quickly. “Like any worthwhile skill, it takes practice.”

Rue flung the cloak at Basil’s head. “You stay put. When I get back, I’m going to find something blunt to beat _you_ about the head with.” She tucked the sewing kit away and pushed aside the curtain.

“And where are you off to?” Basil teased.

“First, I’m going to find that little rat and the parakeet, or whatever it is. Then, I’m going topside.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weak arctic sunlight caught in the twisted, grasping collection of ice and nightmare sand, making the unintended monument to the battle between Jack and Pitch glitter in a way that was almost beautiful, but just _looking_ at the black sand caught within made Jack’s palms itch. He wanted to pull it down, scatter the tainted ice across the landscape, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he found himself staring at his reflection for hours – maybe even days. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed; in the bad old days, when he’d had absolutely no one, he’d lost entire months lost in his own head. He’d been on the verge of losing himself entirely before he’d freed the first of the Pooka.

_How long,_ Jack wondered, _before they realize they don’t need me anymore?_

How long before Rue and Basil decided that they’d had enough of his screwing up? They didn’t need him to get supplies anymore; he was just one more person underfoot, inciting the kits to cause trouble and break things. How long before Tooth and North recalled years of freezing sleet he’d thrown their way because he wanted _someone_ outside that dank little burrow to acknowledge him?

Jack’s hand brushed the ice and sand; rather than something smooth and cold, he found that the texture was more like rough sandstone. Dark particles came away, clinging to his skin, and no matter how he brushed at them, they would not come off.

The wind picked up, stirring the snow and whiting out everything but Jack’s twisted reflection in the ice. He never saw the shadow lurking just outside the little storm.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun times with the Believers, and a rabbit needs to see a fat man about a sleigh.

Jamie reached out and pulled Sophie back before she could follow the butterfly right into the pond. "C'mon, Soph-"

Claude's Frisbee bounced off Jamie's arm, and he scooped it up without slowing down, tossing off an offhand "Sorry, man!"

Jamie waved a hand in acknowledgement, steering his sister in Pippa's general direction. If Sophie came home covered in mud again, Mom would _never_ let him out of the house _ever again._ Technically, Jamie and Sophie weren't supposed to leave the yard, but the day was just so _nice_ , _way_ too nice to just stay in the yard. And Jamie could keep Sophie out of trouble, especially with everyone else there. Besides, the pond was, like, the safest place ever. Mom just worried too much.

Pippa caught Sophie and turned her around, pointing out another pretty butterfly while Cupcake scrambled her way up a tree, a pair of water balloons stuffed precariously into the pockets of her hoodie. Monty, having a well developed sense of impending doom, had already taken cover with his plastic wrapped sandwiches. Claude and Caleb remained blissfully unaware, and Pippa was already safely out of range.

Jamie made a decision; he started climbing after Cupcake. He was almost up to Cupcake's perch when he heard Pippa calling his sister's name. Jamie nearly fell off the branch as his head jerked around, hunting for that familiar shock of unbrushed blonde hair. "Soph? Sophie!"

Sophie's giggle carried through the afternoon air. In the time it had taken to climb the tree, Sophie had managed to get up the incline, and was climbing over the roots of the tree that clung to the little cliff. Pippa was already scrambling after, but Sophie had found another butterfly to grab for, hovering right on the edge of the drop. "Sophie, stop!"

Jamie had never taken a dive from the tree into the pond, no matter how many times Caleb had egged him on. It had always been just _too high_ , even for someone who'd gone sledding down Main Street.

And there was Sophie, nearly dangling over the edge.

"Sophie!"

Something large and black darted through the trees, snatching Sophie from the edge despite the girl's protests, disappearing back into the sheltering shadows. "Oh no you don't!"

"Princess!" Sophie squealed, grasping for a pair of furry ears.

Jamie's heart started beating again as Rue balanced Sophie on her hip. "Don't you start that again." The Pooka scanned the area and spotted Jamie on his branch, giving him a little nod. Sophie wrapped her arms around Rue and buried her face in the thick black pelt.

"Hop hop!"

"No chance." Rue made her way carefully down the slope, keeping to the shadows beneath the trees rather than taking the fastest way down. Jamie scrambled back down, and managed to beat Pippa and the twins to both the Pooka and his sister. "Alright, which one of you is in charge?" She smoothed Sophie's hair down. "Never mind, have any of you seen Jack the last couple weeks? Yes, no?"

Jamie barely heard the question. He fisted one hand in the back of Sophie's shirt and held on tight. Sophie laughed and wriggled, forcing Rue to adjust her grip while she interrogated the others. Cupcake nudged Jamie's shoulder, jarring him out of his fog. He finally noticed that Rue was watching him with those hard blue eyes of hers. "Which way's home?"

Jamie pointed, still clinging to his sister. Rue raised her head, then nodded once. "Right. First we get you lot settled there, then I'm off." She scanned the woods again before starting off. "Hop to! Much to do, no time to waste!" She took Jamie by the hand when she noticed he was stumbling while trying to keep hold of Sophie's shirt. She didn't stop until they reached the open ground of the road between the pond and Jamie's back yard. 

Rue crouched at the edge of the shadows, whiskers twitching and the fur across her shoulders bristling. Claude and Caleb were already racing across the road, but Jamie stayed close. Rue took a deep breath and let go of Jamie's hand, darting across the sunny road in a black blur and clearing the fence in a single leap, much to Sophie's audible delight. Jamie was not far behind them, despite lacking the powerful haunches of a Pooka.

Jamie could see Rue's chest rise and fall rapidly, and she had her nose buried in Sophie's hair, her back pressed up against the fence. "Almost there," Jamie whispered, nodding to the porch. Rue gave herself a little shake, crossing the sunlit yard as gingerly as one of the wild bunnies that Jamie had seen in the yard once. Sophie was, of course, delighted, demanding that Rue repeat her leap over the fence.

Jamie hurried ahead, throwing open the door to allow everyone in. Rue didn't put Sophie down until the door was shut again. "Keep hold of her. Can't let 'em out of your sight, not even for a _second_ , you get me?"

Cupcake firmly herded the twins out of the room, and Monty was happy to follow without prompting. Pippa lingered a moment longer before following.

"Yeah, I-" Jamie tried to swallow the lump in his throat, grasping for Sophie's hand. "I won't let her out of my sight."

Rue nodded, her ears rising and her fur finally laying flat.

"Jack's... missing?" Jamie tugged his sister closer.

Rue smoothed down her whiskers with her fingers. "He does this sometimes."

"He's gonna be okay?"

"Hope so."

" _You_ gonna be okay?"

Rue's whiskers twitched. "Are _you_?"

They watched each other a moment.

"Yeah, I think we're both gonna be alright."

"And you're gonna make sure Jack's okay?" Jamie prompted.

"Course. I'm a big sister, it's what I do."

"Where're you gonna go next?"

Jamie thought he caught a flash of white teeth against black fur. "First I'm gonna see what that fairy's found. Then I'm gonna see a fat man about a sleigh."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, at long last... (or, I TOLD you I was working on it!)


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a Christmas Miracle!
> 
> Okay, it's an August Miracle. I have no good excuses to offer. Here's a chapter. Thank you, dear readers, for your patience.

There was a disturbingly pastel elf clinging to Bunnymund's ear. So not only was he being subjected to the hellish jingle of that damnable bell, he had to deal with the actual, physical pain of his ear having to support the imp's weight.  "Geroff!" he snapped at the brightly colored pest, but it clung tenaciously, swinging just out of reach.  "I get my hands on you-!"

 

Bunnymund finally got his hands around the elf, yanking it off his ear.  The note pinned to its back fluttered with the movement, nearly torn free.  With a growl, Bunnymind yanked the note the rest of the way off, ready for some scathing reprimand send by way of messenger-imp.

 

_Rue's gone to look for Jack_

_Try not to kill each other_

_Follow Sebastian._

_**Basil** _

 

Bunnymund crumpled the note in one paw and held the elf up by the bell, letting it swing as it kicked and struggled.  "Alright, you little bastard.  We're Jack end up?"

 

The elf kicked its thin little legs, the force of its movements making it twist and spin.  Bunnymind gave it another shake and let it drop, watching as the pastel pest staggered unsteadily around his feet.  Bunny gave the left a little poke and was very nearly bitten for his trouble.  "Ain't got time to wast on pleasantries.  Where to?"

 

It was astonishing how much sass such a small face could convey.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Always without the knocking!"  North thew his hands in the air as he rounded on the yeti who had burst into his private workroom.  Schematics not yet ready to be turned into test models scattered across the floor, and the intruding yeti grunted apologist even as he insisted that North had a-

 

Not a guest.  Not an enemy.  Th yetis had a word that meant 'One who has been hostile, but might not be now.'  North knew of no other language that had a single word to describe such a thing, and it was only pronounceable by yeti tongues.

 

For years, North had thought that was just their name for Bunny.

 

North's curiosity was piqued.  "Show me."

 

 

 

One of the yetis had parked Rue in front of the fireplace with something hot to drink.  There was snow melting on her fur, and she was engrossed with the flying turtle one of the elves had ridden up from the workshop.  One of Tooth's fairies buzzed around North, chirping rapidly and flailing her tiny hands.  "And what is all this?"  North asked, keeping himself from making it sound like a demand, but only just.

 

Rue drained her mug.  "Jack's missing."  She shifted her weight, hackles rising as she turned her back to the fire.  North noted that no shadow moved across the floor, despite the light cast from the fireplace.  It was an oddly unsettling sight; the only spirit North had ever known to have no shadow (save for when he was using it to torment someone) was Pitch.  "He's missing," she repeated, "And I need help to bring him home."

 

" _My_ help?" North couldn't resist prompting.

 

Rue nodded once, sharply.  "I can't- the tunnels don't follow my commands.   _Aster_ can make them go _anywhere_ , but I can only go where he's already left a tunnel.  Baby Tooth thinks she knows where Jack's gone."

 

All the pieces began to click into place.  "And you cannot go there, because there is no tunnel.  But why not ask Bunny?"

 

Rue's gaze dropped, leaving her staring into her empty mug.  "Not too sure he'd help me if I asked, Elder or not.  Some things... ain't so easily taken back."  She grimaced.  "Which brings me _here_."

 

North stroked his beard, a debate raging in his mind.  "For _my_ help," he repeated, visions of emptied work benches and looted goods dancing in his head.

 

"And I'm prepared to pay my pound of flesh."  Rue put the empty mug on the fireplace mantle.  "I am yours to do with as you see fit, for the use of your sleigh."

 

"A pound of flesh is, I think, a bit much."  North turned, gesturing for the pooka to follow.  "But a measure of fur..."

 

The yetis, bless their hairy hides, were quick on the uptake.  They were already off to harness the reindeer, and one rushed forward to help North put on his coat and hat.  All the while, the workshop foremen barked orders; the master would be away, and everyone had better have something spectacular to show him by the time he returned.

 

Later, he would be having a little chat with the young Elder.  A word or two in her ear about how she was not the only one who worried about Jack, and perhaps something about the importance of communication between allies and even friends.  One that he would likely share with Bunny later.  But that could wait.

 

"I think that can be arranged."  Rue loped alongside North, with Baby Tooth taking up a perch on her shoulder, tiny hands buried in black fur.  There was a twitch to the nose, a hunch to the shoulders, that North recognized from years of watching Bunny;   _I don't like it, but I'm too busy to argue_.  The old wizard had always both dreaded and delighted in getting that reaction from Bunny.  Bunny _liked_  to argue, and only the direst of emergencies could get him to stop.

 

"Don't you grunt at me, you bloody shag carpet!"  I'm gonna see North, and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop me!"

 

There were times when North wondered what strange god guided his life, and what exactly was wrong with that god's sense of humor.  "Bunny!  Come, we go fetch Jack, all together!  One big, happy family!"

 

Bunny wished his way through the wall of yetis bustling too and fro to prepare for launch.  "You found him?"

 

"Maybe."  Rue's voice was as chilly as an ice burg.  She could swallow her pride to deal with North, it seemed, but Bunny?  Not so much.

 

North studied the rise and fall of the fur across the pookas' shoulders with great interest, wondering if either of them could bring themselves to strike first.  Rue's hand dropped to the pommel of the crude knife she wore strapped around her waist, and her ears were flat against her skull.  Bunny's body language was more confused; he seemed torn between submission, anger, and a need to confront.

 

"Were you planning on telling me, or were you just gonna let me keep worrying?"

 

"Perhaps if I thought you were _actually_ worried-"

 

"What kind of monster do you think I am?"

 

The gears of the lift shrieked and groaned as ice fell free.  North made a note to send the elves up there with fireworks to drive back the encroaching iceberg.

 

"The kind who sent him running in the first place!"

 

North edged as far away from the two pooka as the lift would allow.

 

"And I've spent all my time since trying to find him!"

 

"Because it's expected of you!"

 

"Because he's my friend!"

 

"Some friend!"

 

The lift shuddered to a halt, letting North escape the confines before things could come to blows.  The ever present cacophony of the yetis hard at work drowned everything out, and the two pooka followed in North's wake, still bickering as North ran through a mental checklist.

 

When was the last time the harnesses had been inspected?

 

Could the sleigh stand up to an all out brawl without tipping?

 

North sent one of the yetis to check the stabilizers.


End file.
